Personal Best: Going for the Gold

by Sean Michael

  "Yeah, baby. Let's go home."

  * * * *

  Jessy had been good.

  He'd followed Mike back to Aunt Kathy's so they could collect the trailer and Mike's clothes. He'd driven and driven and driven until it was three fucking thirty in the morning. He was done being good.

  The next rest stop he found he pulled in, all but crowing when it proved to be empty. He turned off the engine and put the car in park. “Baby. I need you."

  Mike nodded, unfastened the seat belt, those dark eyes huge. “Uh-huh."

  Christ, he'd been wanting this for three weeks. Jessy grabbed Mike and tugged him over, mouth covering Mike's, kissing his baby hard. Mike opened up, so hot, so hungry. Those hands wrapped around his shoulders, held on. God, he'd gotten to need this.

  He tore at Mike's shirt, fingers stuttering as they hit warm skin and then sliding over it to search out those sensitive, little points.

  Mike sobbed, moving closer. “Jess. Love you. Missed you so bad."

  "Yeah. Yeah, baby.” He gave up touching Mike to reach down and find the lever to move the seat back. He found it easily enough and shoved his seat as far back as it would go and then tugged Mike over onto him. “Need you, baby.” Mike cuddled into him, the weight and heat delicious, so familiar, so missed.

  He took Mike's shirt the rest of the way off and started in on his lover's pants, freeing Mike's hot, hard cock. Mike just kept kissing him, eyes wide open, shining at him, watching him. Those hands slid down his belly, around to hold him tight.

  He moaned, started moving, hand bringing their cocks together, wrapping both their hands around them. “Baby..."

  "Yeah. Yeah. I love you. Don't stop, ‘kay? Don't stop touching me."

  "Never, baby. Never. Need you.” He slid his free hand around to Mike's ass, pressing them tightly together.

  Mike's kisses were salty, desperate, hungry. He returned them eagerly, hand working their cocks hard. He wanted to fuck Mike properly, wanted to spread him out and send him fucking flying, maybe use the nipple clamps, the collar, everything they had and just fuck for hours. He couldn't do that until they got home, and this would take the edge off.

  He hoped.

  Mike started humping into his hand, moans filling his mouth, the scent of need strong, heady. He got hold of Mike's tongue and started sucking it, pulling it into his mouth.

  Mike cried out, jerked, heat spraying over his cock. Groaning, he came, too, Mike's pleasure spurring on his own. His cock was still hard, his need making him moan as he continued to kiss Mike.

  "Mmm ... Love you. Love you, Jess.” Mike was purring, lips on his cheeks, his jaw.

  "I love you, baby.” He let go of their cocks and wrapped both arms around Mike, squeezing hard. “And I'm not letting you go again."

  "Promise?"

  "I promise, baby. I don't know why I didn't come after you right away this time. Bad call. Bad calls all around.” Jessy kissed Mike hard and shifted him back into his seat. “I can't wait to get you home."

  Mike nodded. “I'm ready. Take me home, Jessy. I want our bed."

  Jessy nodded, zipped Mike back into his pants and pulled their seat belts on. “Home. Where you belong."

  Mike's hand settled on his thigh. “Yeah."

  He nodded and started the engine again, got them out onto the road. His hand covered Mike's on his thigh.

  No, he was never letting go again.

  * * * *

  Mike slept like the dead for a few hours and then his internal clock woke him and he wandered downstairs to make coffee, still ninety percent asleep and dazed, searching idly for things that weren't where they belonged.

  Jessy's arms slid around his waist suddenly, a warm kiss dropping on his neck. “Since when do you make me coffee, baby?"

  "Mmm ... Make a lot of coffee these days, Jess.” He leaned over the warm arms, cuddling, distracted.

  "You're not working at Denny's anymore. You're back to swimming as your job.” Jessy's mouth slid on his skin, nibbling, licking.

  "Not for three ... mmm ... three months..."

  Jessy snorted. “You're not allowed to compete for just over two more months; no one ever said you couldn't swim."

  He nodded, agreeing easily. “You stopped kissing."

  "You woke up the coach."

  "Didn't mean to. Just wanted some coffee.” He grinned, shook his head. “Of course, I was still at Aunt Kathy's, looking where she keeps hers."

  "No coffee, baby.” Jessy turned him, looked into his face. “The rules are back in place. All of them."

  He looked away, blushing. “I've been ... way not following the rules.” Way as in a twelve-pack of Dr. Pepper a day and chocolate for breakfast even.

  "Is this your way of telling me that you're going to be a bitch for the next few days as you break a few habits?"

  "Uh-huh.” He looked up. “I was really angry at you."

  "So you punished yourself? That's not right, baby. Not that I wasn't doing the same thing."

  "Yeah. It wasn't on purpose, it just felt like I was in trouble for what I didn't do, so I might as well do things."

  "That's faulty logic.” He was given a wink and a hug. “Look, Mike. Truth was you were high. I know now it wasn't your fault, but you were still high. It could have been much worse if the ISO had done a random drug test the next day at the pool. It's not your fault at all. But from now on you're going to have to be more vigilant. Never accept an open drink from anyone but me."

  He sighed, shook his head. “I didn't even get to enjoy it."

  "I tell you what, baby. Making love beats out being high every time."

  "No shit. It's never caused me as much trouble as that stupid party."

  Jessy chuckled. “If I remember correctly, that's often the point of frat parties."

  "Yeah.” He wasn't ready to laugh about it. Nowhere near. The whole thing still hurt.

  Jessy kissed him again. “You really ready to start the day? Or do you want to come back to bed with me and we'll hide under the covers and see what comes up?"

  He found a smile, snuggled in. “I think hiding is good."

  "No, baby, hiding with your lover is good."

  Yeah. Yeah. “I'm glad to be home."

  "How glad?” Jessy grinned, eyebrows waggling, starting to back up.

  He chuckled. “Pretty glad."

  "Suck me off glad?"

  "Maybe.” Jessy or coffee. Jessy or coffee ... He winked.

  Jessy stopped backing up. “Maybe?"

  Mike chuckled, grinned, feeling mischievous. “I might have forgotten how."

  Jessy started to laugh. “You need me to give you a reminder, baby?"

  "Maybe.” Oh, it felt good to laugh. Really good.

  Jessy kissed Mike hard and then went to his knees right there in the hallway, hands tugging down Mike's sweatpants.

  Mike's eyes went wide, arching. “Jess?” He thought he was going to be sucking Jessy.

  Jessy licked his cock from bottom to tip. “You said you needed a reminder how to do this, baby."

  "Hot. Oh. Oh, I thought...” He thought he'd never feel this again, never know Jessy loving him again.

  One of Jessy's eyebrows went up. “You're not supposed to be thinking, baby."

  "I'm not? See? I told you I forgot."

  Jessy laughed and then, without warning, swallowed him down, nose buried in his pubes.

  His head slammed back, eyes wide and rolling. “Jess!"

  Jessy hummed around his prick, head starting to bob. Mike went up on his toes, hips rocking, pushing deep. Jessy swallowed around his cock, hands wrapping around his hips, encouraging his movements.

  "Love. Oh. Oh, I...” He needed. Needed.

  Jessy nodded, moving Mike's hips until he was fucking Jessy's mouth.

  "Gonna. Love you. So good.” Babbling. He was babbling.

  Jessy's blue eyes danced up at him, the sucking getting harder. He bucked, eyes rolling, fingers scrabbling against the wall. One of Jessy's fingers slid a
long his crack, pushing at his hole.

  He went still, panted, eyes on Jessy. “Oh, God. Yes. Please. I want you to fuck me, Jess. Need it."

  Jessy growled, pulling off his cock and turning him, pushing him up against the wall as hard fingers spread his ass cheeks apart. Then Jessy's tongue was wetting him, pushing into him.

  He shouted, hips jerking, hand gripping the base of his cock. “Yes. Yes. Fuck."

  "Soon, baby. Let me just get you wet."

  He nodded, groaned. “Yeah. Soon..."

  Humming, Jessy went back to tongue fucking him, one hand sneaking up his body to tweak a nipple.

  "I'll come. Jess. Please. I'll come."

  "Wait for me, baby.” Jessy stood, foot spreading Mike's legs a little wider, that thick cock pushing against his hole.

  "Oh. Yes. Yes...” He arched, bearing down, the burn sweet and necessary and familiar.

  Jessy groaned in his ear, cock pushing into him, filling him. Mike needed, entire body aching, arching, begging for more, deeper, harder. Jessy gave it to him, gave him everything he needed, pounding into him over and over again. One of Jessy's hands dropped to his cock, pumping it.

  He couldn't last. He didn't. He just arched and squeezed, coming hard. Jessy groaned into his ear, jerking into him a few more times before filling him with heat.

  "Oh, baby..."

  "Uh-huh. Needed you."

  "Got me.” Jessy's face was buried in his neck, arms coming around him, holding on.

  He took a hitching breath, squeezing. Home. He was home.

  And he wasn't leaving again.

  * * * *

  Jessy took Mike back to the pool the next day. He wanted his swimmer back in the water as soon as possible. He wanted things back to normal as soon as possible.

  Truth was, he was nagged by guilt over this. He should have paid more attention to what Mike was trying to tell him that night. He should have gone to Kathy's as soon as he'd realized Mike was gone. He should have called back and talked to Mike. There were a lot of things he should have done.

  He paced alongside the pool, watching Mike swim, feeling guilty, wrong in his skin. Mike wasn't focused, wasn't into it, was just pulling himself through the water.

  "Mike!” He got his swimmer's attention, crouching down next to Mike in the water. “What are you thinking about?"

  Mike looked up, treading water. “I ... Stuff? The last time I was here. The weather. I don't know."

  He shook his head. “And what are you supposed to be thinking about?"

  "The wall.” Mike shrugged. “I just can't."

  "Why not?"

  "I don't know. I have stuff in my head.” Mike started moving again.

  "None of it matters. All that matters is the water. Go on, give me some freestyle."

  Mike nodded, started swimming again, trying for him, the effort obvious. He'd let Mike swim it out for today and then take him home, fuck him blind. Maybe they'd talk while they were both mellow.

  He nodded at Jeff Samuels as the UT coach came up.

  "How's he doing, Jessy?” Jeff looked Mike over. “He looks stiff."

  "Yeah. Hasn't swum until today. Fell into all sorts of bad habits.” He shook his head. It was going to take the two months Mike had left in his suspension before the kid was ready to see a competition. “He'll work it out."

  Jeff nodded. “He will. You considered taking him somewhere? Switching up the training? I mean, your boy's all about routine, but his routine's all cracked. You could take him somewhere where there's nothing but you, him, cleaning his body out, finding the water..."

  Jessy nodded. It was a good idea. He'd been so focused on getting them back to their routine, he hadn't considered that maybe they needed to find each other, their centers—the damned wall—first. “You got any suggestions, Jeff?"

  "Go up north, maybe? There's got to be a place with a heated pool, somewhere you can get in his headspace again."

  He nodded. “I could take him up to Atlanta or Montreal. Go ‘round to see the Olympic pools.” They could play tourist, there wouldn't be any distractions but the ones they made them for themselves.

  Jeff nodded, eyes on the pool. “Yeah. You two need to settle things between you, between him and the water."

  "We do. How are your boys doing?"

  "The marginal ones? Still marginal. Harry quit, went to Cal Tech. My two serious swimmers? Not sleeping, stressed. Upset."

  Jessy shook his head. “You should have let me beat that kid to a pulp, Jeff. A fucking joke. Screwed up a whole bunch of kids’ lives."

  "Yeah. And the drug itself made it worse, heightened their emotions and made things insane."

  "You ever consider the kid might have been planted? Competition making sure UT has to do another year of rebuilding?"

  Jeff blinked. “No, man, that kid was scared."

  "Well, it was worth considering. Hank over at UCLA's been sniffing around Mike."

  "Hank is a jackass, and if you let him have Mike I'll beat you.” No rivalry there.

  He grinned. “I'm not letting Mike go, Jeff. No worry there."

  "Good.” Jeff nodded. “I like him. He's a natural."

  "He's the real deal. The best.” He watched Mike do a few more laps. “All right. I'm taking my swimmer home and then we're going to go find the wall again. Good luck with your boys, Jeff."

  "See you in a month or two, Jessy."

  He shook Jeff's hand and crouched back down by the edge of the pool, waiting for Mike to come back to the end, catching Mike's attention. “Come on. Let's go home. I've got a proposal for you."

  "A proposal?” He got a look, a raised eyebrow. “Okay."

  "Brat. Not that kind of proposal."

  Mike chuckled, eyes dancing. “Damn."

  "Not today, anyway.” He gave Mike a wink and held out his hand, helping Mike out of the water.

  "So? What's up? I still have a lot of laps left..."

  "I was thinking you could finish them at the Olympic pool in Atlanta. Or maybe Montreal.” He watched Mike, gauging his reaction.

  Mike tilted his head; sometimes his swimmer was such a pup. “Yeah? Why?"

  "Because I think getting away together would be good for both us. Let us relax a little and find how we fit again, yeah?"

  "Yeah. Okay.” Mike nodded, dried off. “I could do that. Be with you."

  "And fall in love with the water all over again.” Jessy smiled and looked over at the door. “Maybe with me, too."

  "I never fell out.” Mike got his stuff together, grabbed his bag and they headed for the locker room.

  "I know, but it's still there between us a little. What happened.” He stopped Mike as they got there, stroked one cheek. “We just need to focus on you and me and the wall with nothing else to distract us."

  Mike nodded, eyes serious. “Yeah. I want ... I want things back to normal."

  "Yeah, baby. That's the plan.” He glanced around the locker room and, finding it empty, leaned in for a real quick kiss.

  Mike's eyes went wide, but he got a grin, a kiss back. “Coach!"

  He wondered if he looked as sheepish as he felt. “Couldn't help myself."

  He headed for the door, opening it for Mike. Time for them to get out of there.

  Mike chuckled, nodded. “Right behind you."

  "Admiring the view?” he asked, looking back to give Mike a wink.

  Mike nodded. “You're a fine man."

  He chuckled, feeling good. Yeah, Jeff was right. A holiday was just what they needed to get themselves back on track, to evict the awkwardness that one little asshole and his “joke” had managed to insert between them.

  They'd go away, fuck their brains out, swim until they couldn't go another length, and just be.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mike was tired and grumpy and headachy and he wanted coffee in the worst way. Of course, there was a coffeehouse right across the street from the tiny apartment Jessy had rented them, just calling to him.

  Not that Jessy was goin
g to let him have coffee. Mike wasn't sure he could take a breath without Jessy seeing it.

  "You want to go see the pool, baby? Or wait until tomorrow?” Jessy on the other hand, appeared to be in a disgustingly good mood.

  "You sure are perky.” Mike found a smile, a wink. “Are you really sure about the whole coffee thing? I could so use a shot."

  Jessy snorted. “I'm pretty fucking sure, Mike. No caffeine.” His hand was grabbed. “Come on, I talked to the owner when he let us in earlier. We're at the base of ‘the mountain’ which isn't really and is a real nice climb from what I understand."

  He chuckled, Jessy's enthusiasm catching, making it impossible to be bitchy.

  They headed out to explore, finding the path that led up Mount Royal, discovering once they were at the top that there was a staircase they could have taken. There were several lookout points, letting them stop and check out the city, the St. Lawrence River. Everything was covered in snow and they could see their breath. It was cold as hell and strangely beautiful.

  They didn't linger anywhere and took the stairs down, which was much quicker than winding their way up the footpaths.

  "What kind of food do you feel like, Mike?"

  He chuckled, bending to tie his shoe and scooping up a bit of snow, sliding it in Jessy's collar as he stood. “Something warm."

  Jessy squeaked and jumped and then picked up a big handful of snow, forming it into a ball and tossing it at him. It landed square on his chest, breaking apart and floofing snow up into his face.

  "Bitch!” He laughed hard, making a snowball of his own, tossing it and popping Jessy in the shoulder.

  Jessy, of course, retaliated and they were both soon breathless, hands like icicles. “Come on, let's go in here,” suggested Jessy, pulling him into a place called Tony Roma's, which claimed to be a sports bar with the best Italian food in the city.

  "Okay.” Mike nodded, suddenly starving, breathing a little hard. The place smelled like garlic and tomatoes and olives.

  They got a seat at a booth near the back and Jessy ordered a beer for himself and a hot chocolate for Mike along with fettuccini alfredo and shrimp for both of them.

  He chuckled, rolling his eyes, teasing. “And what if I'd wanted spaghetti and big greasy meatballs and tomato sauce?"

  "I know what you like, baby."