by Diane Adams
“I thought you were bringing dinner?”
First Efforts
“The twins did a great job in the crib.” Baby cradled in one arm, Jared gripped the side and shook it to check the stability. Satisfied it wouldn’t collapse under her weight, he laid her on her back and watched as she immediately flipped to her tummy. “This girl is never going to sleep on her back.” Resigned, Jared patted her rear end and covered her with one of the blankets Alex picked for her, white with bunnies outlined in pink all over it. The fleece was soft and the two-inch wide binding around the hem satiny smooth.
“She’s beautiful.” Alex wrapped his arms around Jared’s waist and rested his chin on his shoulder. Affection for his husband warmed Jared, and he kissed Alex’s cheek. He covered Alex’s hands where they rested, clasped on his stomach, and they watched her sleep.
“I think she’s going to be all right.” Jared wasn’t sure how to reconcile the relief he felt with the sheer terror that having her home caused. Neither of them had very much experience with infants. Stepping in to help with Clark and Stevie’s kids was something that usually happened after they could talk. The hospital had been another matter altogether with help only a call-button away.
Alex nuzzled Jared’s ear. “She’s going to be fine; after all, she has the best dad in the world.”
“Two best dads,” Jared corrected him and turned in Alex’s embrace to wrap him in a hug, arms tight around his waist. “Now that we’re home, you two are going to have plenty of bonding time. Once she has you wrapped around her finger too it’s going to be all over for us.”
“Maybe, if she’ll let go of you long enough.” Alex poked his nose against Jared’s cheek. His was tone teasing and devoid of envy, but distracted by the feel of Alex against him, Jared lost interest in family dynamics. He nuzzled Alex’s ear, breathing him in. This was home, the scent and feel of this man in his arms. Jared’s stress and heartache were soothed away by the simple act of holding Alex.
“If I let go of you long enough.” Jared slid his hand under the hem of Alex’s shirt and splayed his fingers over the warm skin at the base of his spine. Alex sucked in a sharp breath and fisted his hands in Jared’s T-shirt.
“God, Jared.” The soft sigh of his submission was welcome and familiar between them. Jared pulled him closer with a slight pressure against his back, bringing their hips into intimate contact. Alex mouthed along Jared’s jaw, tugging at his shirt. “Off.”
More than willing to comply, Jared reached back and grabbed his shirt with his free hand. He pulled it off over his head, leaving it to hang from the arm holding Alex, unwilling to let him go long enough to let it drop to the floor.
“Oh yeah.” Alex buried his face in the curve of Jared’s shoulder, and Jared shuddered under the feel of sharp teeth at the juncture. Jared fisted his hand in Alex’s hair and pulled his head back with a sharp movement.
“Alex.” Jared met his eyes before his gaze dropped to his mouth to watch as Alex licked his lips with a slow, deliberate sweep of his tongue. Jared growled low in his throat and saw the flash of triumph in his husband’s expression just before their mouths met with a clash of passion. Well aware how much Alex loved to drive him over the edge of his restraint, Jared didn’t care how easily he toppled when the reward was Alex’s mouth open to him and eager fingers between them on the fastening of his jeans.
When Alex’s hand closed around Jared’s cock, he pulled out of the kiss with a gasp, hips thrusting into the tight grip.
“Careful, I might think you missed me,” Alex teased. Jared smirked at the breathless tone in his voice, and he wrapped his hand around Alex’s wrist, stilling the movement.
“Time to get naked.” Jared glanced back at the baby sleeping peacefully, oblivious to their interaction. “And away from the baby.” Following the suggestion with action, Jared tugged Alex across the room to the bed. The small lamp illuminated their corner of the room but left the rest in shadows.
“We’re going to have to get a room divider screen.” Alex glanced over his shoulder before he unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged out of it. Jared watched it fall to the floor, leaving Alex’s chest bare to his gaze. He bit his lip as his gaze traveled over Alex’s broad shoulders and the lean muscled line of his chest. The movement of his hands at his waist drew Jared’s attention. He stared with unabashed interest as Alex slipped the buttons on his fly. When his pants were open and hanging loose on his hips, Jared slowly registered that Alex had said something.
“What?” He hooked his fingers in the waist of Alex’s jeans and pulled him closer. Jared slid his hands around and into the jeans to cup his ass in his hands. Jared loved Alex’s ass and made an approving sound when the garment slid down far enough that he stepped out of it. What in the hell were we talking about? Jared had no idea how Alex expected him to concentrate on conversation with him standing there stark naked. He rutted against him, enjoying the feel of hard naked cock rubbing against his still half-dressed one.
“Nothing. Later.” Alex pushed at Jared’s jeans. “Awkward. God, would you just get undressed already?”
With a grin Jared shed his jeans. “Happy now?”
Alex stared down at his groin and licked his lips. Jared’s cock gave an involuntary twitch at his reaction.
“Hell yeah.”
He scooped Alex into his arms and ignored his yelp of protest to drop him onto the bed. “Good. I aim to please.” He crawled onto the mattress, stalking Alex as he scooted away.
“I’m not that much smaller than you. Stop tossing me around.” Alex frowned but Jared ignored that as well, climbing over him and forcing Alex to lie down. They stared at one another, gazes locked.
“Why should I when you like it so much?” Jared’s cocky attitude faltered when Alex’s hands slid up his back as he spread his legs wide.
“I missed you,” Jared whispered, except his tone and his expression said something else entirely as the sweet sense of belonging to just this man filled Jared. He settled his weight onto Alex, somehow ignoring the heated slide of their cocks between them. He braced on one forearm and cupped Alex’s face with his free hand, thumb stroking over his cheek.
Their gazes locked. “And I love you.”
What had begun fast, hot, and playful turned slow and intense. Alex’s skin under his hands was like fine silk. The movement of Alex’s hands over Jared’s body lit a fire under his skin that only one thing could put out. Jared prepared and entered his husband’s body with reverence. He held back the inferno that threatened to consume them, moving with careful intent to build the tension. Alex clung to him, keeping their gazes locked as their bodies rocked together.
At the end every muscle in Jared’s body tensed, and he broke eye contact for the first time. Lowering his head until their foreheads touched, his eyes slid closed and he shuddered through his release with no more sound than the soft exhale of his husband’s name. Moving only his arm, Jared reached between them to close his hand around the hard shaft of Alex’s unrelieved passion. He stripped his erection with an experienced hand until Alex’s hips bucked with a sharp, uncontrolled movement and he painted their chests with his release.
Chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath, Jared lifted his head enough to meet Alex’s passion-blurred gaze.
“Jared.” His voice sounded as rough, as if he’d screamed his lungs out during their lovemaking. He cupped Jared’s face in his long-fingered grip and urged him down for a kiss.
“Always.” Jared breathed the promise against Alex’s lips.
* * * * *
Alex blinked, trying to wake up. Unfamiliar wails filled the room, and he realized Jared was already up and gone. His vision still blurry, Alex finally located him leaning over the crib, picking up the no-longer-sleeping form of their foster daughter. Alex shook his head hard to knock loose the last of the sleepy cobwebs and climbed out of bed. He crossed the room to stand beside Jared.
“What can I do?”
His husband turned a gratefu
l look on him that made Alex happy he hadn’t hid under the pillow.
“Can you hold her while I fix her bottle?”
Alex felt a little thrill of trepidation. Sissy was crying and it was loud, but Alex had learned the hard way the unbelievable decibel she could attain if separated from Jared. He took a shaky breath. “Are you sure?”
Jared frowned at the crumpled, wailing face before meeting Alex’s eyes. “She’s just mad because she’s hungry, nothing’s wrong. You can take her into the hallway and walk with her where she can’t see me.”
They had everything necessary for bottle making in the room, and it’d only take Jared a few minutes before he was ready for the feeding. So despite his lingering doubt, Alex reached out for the baby. Jared placed her in his arms and all hell broke loose. She shrieked and Alex felt sure she could hold her own if pitted against a fire truck siren. The couple looked at her with amazement.
“Wow, that’s loud.” Alex’s ears were ringing with the intensity of a sound that paused only on inhale. “You should probably hurry.”
Jared blinked away his astonishment and turned to collect the items he needed for the feeding. “Good idea.”
At least that was what Alex thought he said. “Okay, good we’ll just go…” He motioned to the door the best he could while wrestling a baby intent on getting what she wanted. Without waiting for Jared to acknowledge them, Alex exited the bedroom into the hallway lit only by a small seashell-shaped nightlight.
“I bought that for him,” Alex whispered into a tiny brown ear. Sissy screamed louder. “Okay, then. Well, how about a song?” He quickly realized he didn’t know any kids’ songs. He wished he’d paid more attention Kels’ ‘spider crap’. He tried to hold her against his shoulder, but the proximity to his ear ended that rather quickly and he went back to cradling her in his arms. “Geez, you need those calories for growing. Is this really necessary?”
He walked up and down the hall in a slow steady pace. He sang “Lighthouse” for want of anything more appropriate and still she cried. Alex thought she was crying harder, and with a frown he stopped to turn on the hall light so he could see her. The sight of the tears standing in her eyes and leaking down her cheeks hit him like an anvil.
“Oh my God,” he gasped and ran back into the bedroom. He dropped her blanket and laid her on the changing table. Frantic, he began stripping her. “Jared. Something’s wrong. She’s hurt.” She lay on her back kicking and screaming, fat tears rolling down her round cheeks.
“Jared!”
Jared appeared at Alex’s elbow, looking concerned. “What is it?”
“You said she was just hungry, but she’s hurt or something. She’s crying for real.” Alex searched her baby-soft skin for evidence of injury.
Jared took over. He changed her diaper and checked her bottom. “Alex, she’s fine. Really loud, but fine. What makes you think she’s hurt?” Jared accepted the sleeper Alex had finally deemed free of poking edges and dressed her wiggling, kicking form.
“Tears, she’s crying tears. She never did that in the hospital.” Alex couldn’t stop petting her head and stroking her hand in an effort to comfort her. Jared laid his hand over Alex’s, capturing them both in his strong grip.
“Alex, it’s okay, that’s normal. The nurses were a little surprised she didn’t cry tears yet.” Jared picked up her blanket and bundled her loosely in it. She quieted to soft hiccups as soon as she was back in his arms. “Babies start crying tears at different ages. One nurse said her daughter didn’t cry tears until she was around nine months old.”
Alex stared at the baby in Jared’s arms. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so inadequate. “I don’t think I’m ready for this.”
Jared’s hand closed around his once more, and Alex let himself be led to their huge recliner. Jared sat down first right in the middle. Alex frowned at him for taking up all the room.
“Sit in my lap.” Jared laughed and Alex settled with his ass on the cushion and his legs across Jared’s lap. Jared tugged him in closer with an arm around his shoulders. Sissy was snuggled safely between them. “Now get the bottle off the table.” Alex retrieved the freshly made bottle from the table beside the chair.
Jared deftly transferred Sissy into his arms, and before she could figure out what happened, he motioned for Alex to offer the bottle. She latched on immediately and began to suck hard.
“She sure likes to eat.” Alex caressed her damp cheek with one finger. “I don’t like it when she cries.” Jared’s arm tightened around him.
“That makes two of us, but we’ve got to learn to handle it. There’s probably an ocean of tears ahead, and the last thing we need is for her to guess how much we hate for her to cry.”
A single tear traced her chubby cheek, and Alex caught it with his finger. He sighed and met Jared’s gaze. “Dude, I am so fucked.”
Finding the Truth
Alex tucked his phone back into his pocket as he walked away from the police station. He wasn’t an official with a need to know, and getting the address saved safely in its memory had taken every ounce of his charm. He’d have to send flowers of apology to the young policeman he’d flirted into submission. Alex huffed a laugh. Might as well call a spade a spade, he’d come close to seducing the guy against the side of his police car.
“There was no body contact,” Alex muttered to himself. “It was like good torture. Where you use suggestion instead of details and nothing actually happens—and Jared will kill me if he finds out.” Alex climbed into his Camaro without looking to see if the kid had actually melted into a puddle of goo in the middle of the parking lot. It had seemed about fifty-fifty by the time Alex had what he needed. He started the car and caught his own glance in the rearview mirror. His lips quirked up into a smile. The reaction of the twenty-something police officer to his wicked smile and sultry eyes had been flattering. In fact, Alex couldn’t wait to get home and try that look on Jared.
Alex started the car and pushed that particular idea out of his mind. He had stuff to do before he devised Jared’s next seduction. The police had called him with the information they’d found the boy and he was safely back home with his grandmother. He’d been saddened but unsurprised to learn the police had caught up with the boy when he’d been arrested shoplifting food. With Sissy’s family located, it was a matter of time before they’d get a call from Child Services. Alex wanted to know something about the situation before they faced that it. More than anything he dreaded telling Jared that their time as parents could be coming to a close.
Alex was familiar with where the address the officer had reluctantly supplied for him was located. It was a rural area about ten minutes or so from their house. Civilization disappeared quickly on the outskirts of town, giving way first to a few housing areas and then sprawling farms. The region was one of the poorer parts of the county, and Alex was prepared for the slightly dilapidated state of the house he found at the end of a long, badly cared for driveway.
The car parked next to the weather-beaten building looked just as old, and Alex was amazed to think it still ran. Chances were good that Jared would be furious when he found out that not only had Alex not told him the police had found Sissy’s brother, but also that they found her grandmother as well. He glanced around the run-down property, maybe it wouldn’t matter. He cut the engine and climbed out of the car, pocketing his keys on the way up the walkway.
Someone had been out working in the snow. The walkway and the ground around the battered car were shoveled clean of ice and snow. He didn’t see any signs of farm animals, but there was a small shed in the fenced field a ways from the house. Alex supposed there could be goats or something hiding from the cold. Smoke curled from the house chimney, leaving the pleasant scent of burning wood hanging in the air.
The steps when he mounted them were solid despite the aged look of the home. He took the small evidences of care to heart as he knocked firmly on the door. He heard the sound of running steps and the door flew open.
/> “Uncle Mickey!” Though still thin, the excited young face hardly seemed to be the same one he’d seen the night of the fire. Brown eyes widened. “You have Sissy! I asked you to save her and you took her!” The wooden ingress slammed in his face. Alex contemplated the peeling paint as he tried to decide what came next. He hadn’t expected the boy to recognize him so quickly. It hadn’t occurred to him a kid would pay attention to any of the news stories covering the mystery of the abandoned children or the heroic actions that saved them. When the door reopened, it revealed the curious face of an older African-American woman. She studied him with dark serious eyes.
“Grandma! I told you not to open the door!” the boy called from behind her.
She ignored the shouting and studied Alex. “Is it true? You helped save my grandchildren?” She waited for his answer with calm composure. Her jean-clad figure wasn’t what he’d expected. In truth, Alex hadn’t been sure what he’d find, but the composed fifty-something woman in front of him was surprise for some reason.
“Well, I was there. My husband Jared actually got Sissy out of the house. I guess someone told you she’s staying with us. I wanted to talk to you and maybe—” He paused. He wanted to talk to Devon, find out why he’d run away the night at the fire. The teen’s reaction made him hesitate. “—Devon for a few minutes. I’d like to know he’s safe.”
She nodded. “All right, Mr Douglas-Ross. I’m surprised to see you. Neither the police nor Child Services would give me any contact information for you. I’m not sure they think we should meet quite yet, if ever. I’m happy you don’t agree with that decision any more than I do. My name is Pearl Wright. I’m Devon and Cassie’s grandmother. Please, come in.” She stood back and opened the door wider with her invitation.