“You’re not, like, a secret serial killer, right?” Ty joked.
Vance let Ty in first, then flicked the switch near the door to illuminate the space. “Nope.” He headed to the open kitchen and let Ty explore the place. “What would you like to drink?”
“Did you just move in or something? It seems … bare,” Ty commented, eventually making a round of the living room and heading towards the counter.
Vance grabbed two beers from the fridge and set them down. “Been living here for two years. I sold a lot of furniture that reminded me of Malik.”
He didn’t tell Ty that he and Malik had picked the apartment together, that it had been their second home. Their first had been a ratty studio in the worst neighborhood in the city. That had been during the time Vance had started to build his empire from the ground up, when it had only been a simple online business and he and Malik had been the only employees.
Vance’s heart ached, but truth be told, memories of the past started to blur altogether. His therapist suggested he move out of the apartment, start somewhere new. Too many memories here, both good and bad. Well, mostly bad, nearing the end.
“Why so quiet?” Ty asked, picking up the beer bottle to take a sip.
“I’m not over him,” Vance said honestly, bluntly, because he owed Ty that, at the very least. He could make a friend, if Ty still wanted to stick around, but any more, and he was going to create a lot of emotional pain for both of them.
Ty snorted and took another long pull. “I figured that out a while ago. Why did you invite me over here, Vance?”
“Why did you tell me to meet you after work, despite knowing about my monthly dinners with my ghostly husband?”
“You seemed lonely. I thought you’d like the company.”
“That’s all?” Shit. That came out wrong, but pride prevented him from telling Ty the truth, that he never expected anyone to peel away his mask and see the grief underneath. Ty noticed, though, and the last thing Vance wanted was to let this observant guy with a heart of gold go. “I appreciate it.”
Ty raised his bottle. He did the same. Both of them had come to some kind of understanding.
“Cheers,” Vance said, clinking bottles before drinking his entire beer down. “I need more.”
“You the sort of guy who gets drunk easily?” Ty asked.
“I can handle my alcohol well. You want another?”
****
“Hit me another, bartender,” Ty said three beers later.
Vance was tempted to tell Ty he was drinking too much, but the same could be said for him.
They settled on the living room couch, stretched out like they’d both run a marathon. Sometime during their drinking spree, either he or Ty had turned on the TV, but even the bright screen playing some action movie didn’t steal Vance’s attention for long, not when Ty sat close, within touching distance.
Their shoulders and legs brushed against each other. Vance finished his beer, set it on the coffee table in front of them, and vaguely wondered who else had finished the rest of the empty beer bottles on the table.
“I think we should stop.” Ty set his bottle down and placed a hand on his right thigh.
Every muscle in Vance’s leg tensed at the contact. It had been too long since he’d let anyone touch him or get close. Since Malik’s death, he’d developed the habit of pushing others away, telling them he wanted to be alone. In truth, he only wanted the right person next to him.
Grieving was such a lonely process, one that made him feel isolated from the rest of the world. Vance thought he hid it well enough, functioned like a well-oiled robot at work, but even machines broke down.
He reached out and touched Ty’s fingers until they opened up.
Ty giggled. “We’re holding hands like awkward teenagers. Shit.”
He pulled Ty’s fingers to his lips, blew on them. Ty stopped laughing. Releasing them, Vance gripped Ty’s jaw and thumbed his bottom lip. Ty’s eyes widened, but he didn’t tell Vance to stop. Didn’t push him away, either.
“What if I kiss you right now?”
“That’ll be breaking the rules. I thought you wanted me to be your friend,” Ty murmured.
“I lied. I want more than that.”
Ty scoffed. “You’re a greedy bastard.”
“And you’re not resisting me. Tell me to stop, and I will. I’m not drunk enough that I’d force myself on you.”
Ty moved his hand higher, past Vance’s thigh to squeeze his tormented dick through the denim. He groaned and gripped Ty’s wrist.
“Don’t stop,” Ty finally said. “Put us both out of our misery. Kiss me. You’ll never know. Maybe there’s zero chemistry between us after all. It’ll sizzle into nothing. We’ll even laugh about it after.”
“I don’t think so.” No, Vance was certain that sex between them would be explosive. He was thinking with his cock, not his brain, but he didn’t care because it seemed Ty was doing the same.
“You know what? Me neither.”
Vance settled his hand on the back of Ty’s neck and zeroed in for the kiss. Heat exploded between them, slammed down his body and went right to his dick. He squeezed the nape of Ty’s neck and sucked and nipped Ty’s lower lip, still wanting more. Ty slipped his hands under Vance’s shirt and began touching and exploring him.
Their teeth clashed, tongues tangled, but eventually, Ty let him deepen the kiss. Ty sucked down, making Vance rock hard in moments. He pulled away. They were both panting. He fingered the hem of Ty’s shirt, eager to pull it off and see him bare-chested.
What were they still doing dressed, anyway?
“This is a bad idea,” Ty whispered.
“Yeah.” He expected Ty to make a hasty retreat, to come up with an excuse and walk out of his door. The next time they saw each other at the restaurant, Ty would make it a point to ignore him. His insides twisted. That was the last thing Vance wanted.
Vance stripped off his shirt. Ty widened his eyes, the surprise momentary, because after, he licked his lips in anticipation.
“I guess that’s our answer,” he said with a laugh. “Whatever happens tonight, it’ll be our dirty little secret, a one-night-stand. Tomorrow, we go back to being strangers.”
Except Vance didn’t have the heart to tell Ty they were no longer strangers. Ty had gotten deep under his skin, and he wouldn’t forget tonight, not ever. Instead, Vance would memorize every detail and recall them during his loneliest moments, even long after Ty had forgotten him.
Vance resorted to what he did best and lied. “Agreed.”
With the barrier broken between them, Vance threw pretense out of the window. They fumbled for each other’s clothes, rose gracelessly to their feet to peel off jeans and boxers, but this was nothing but dirty fucking. Right?
Challenge blazed in Ty’s brown eyes, giving him a mischievous look that only made Vance rock-hard with need. Ty gave his chest a little shove. Vance was a big guy, so he didn’t fall easily, but he played along and sat back on the couch. The last thing he expected was Ty sliding to his knees, positioning himself between his legs.
Accepting his gift, Vance speared fingers through Ty’s hair, bringing him close so Ty’s mouth pressed against his cock. Feeling his warm breath on his cock and balls, Vance groaned. Ty flicked his tongue out and swiped the pre-cum gathered at his tip.
“Fuck.” Vance’s breathing turned harsh.
Ty tongued his slit, traced his cock head slowly, teasing him to the brink. Vance tightened his hold on Ty’s hair, but that only seemed to encourage him. Ty traced every vein, ridge, and bump of his shaft, as if he were enjoying a delicacy. He didn’t appear to have much experience in this area, but that didn’t matter. His enthusiasm made up for his naivety.
“You on your knees, sucking my dick, looking gorgeous as hell—I’ll burn this image in my mind forever,” Vance said.
Ty paused from his task, frown on his lips. “Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Say s
tuff like that. You’re making it hard for me to keep things simple.”
What if I don’t want simple? Vance kept that thought to himself. Ty’s mouth felt too good, and it had been too long. Besides, he didn’t know it yet, but Ty managed to achieve what others could not—he’d driven his hooks into Vance’s skin and dragged him back to reality.
Taking his silence as agreement, Ty continued his task. He took Vance’s balls into his mouth, sucking hard. A growl slipped from Vance’s lips and he gave Ty’s hair a pull.
“Enough games.”
“But I want to play with your big cock all night.”
The whine in Ty’s voice made him grin. “Do you now? Most guys don’t like giving blow jobs.”
“Which guys are you talking about? Because I might be the one on my knees, but I’m also capable of drawing out sounds of pleasure from you.”
Vance couldn’t remember smiling this much or so often; it hurt his mouth. Being with Ty, whether they were merely talking or doing something intimate, felt like being high on drugs. For this moment, he forgot all about his grief. Fuck, he felt incredibly light, not weighed down. After Malik’s death, he’d constantly felt like he was drowning, unable to breathe. Some days, he contemplated joining Malik in the afterlife.
With Ty, Vance could be another person, who still knew how to flirt and smile.
Then Ty opened his mouth and started taking his prick inch by inch, and Vance lost all train of logical thought. Ty gagged at first, but tried again, until he could bob his head up and down. Vance moaned, thoroughly enjoying the sensation of Ty’s wet mouth on his dick.
The pressure inside him continued to build. His balls drew in tight against his body, telling Vance he was close.
He gripped Ty’s hair, making Ty pause. “I need to take over.”
Chapter Five
At Vance’s words, Ty held his mouth open and let Vance thrust in and out. His own dick pulsed, already at full mast, waiting for release. Vance let out a groan at his last push, about to pull away from Ty’s mouth, but he wrapped his lips around Vance’s shaft stubbornly. Vance spilled his seed down Ty’s throat.
Droplets spilled down the sides of his mouth, but Vance swiped them clean, only to lift his fingers to his mouth and lick them away. He settled back on his knees to have a better view. Vance reminded him of a large and smug predator.
“We should do that more often.” Vance’s words punched into him like bullets, but Ty didn’t correct him, didn’t remind him this would be their one and only time.
Logic stated that Ty didn’t need a complicated man in his life and yet, not once had he considered leaving tonight. Vance had a hold on him, but he didn’t want to break free. The best solution would be to make up a flimsy excuse, exit Vance’s apartment, and get some fresh air to think.
One-night-stand? Go back to being strangers?
As if that were still possible. For all he knew, Vance would disappear from his life after tonight, but he doubted that. This undeniable chemistry between them, this magnetic pull that constantly drew him to Vance, none of it was accidental. Ty wanted to find out where his journey was heading.
“What next?” Ty asked instead. This new bold and reckless him who wasn’t afraid to voice what he wanted both terrified and excited him.
Vance scooped up his jeans from the floor. Ty’s heart raced. Had he changed his mind? Vance only took out a condom foil and lube from the back pocket of his jeans.
Ty narrowed his eyes. “You always carry those around?”
Vance gave him a grim smile. With a jolt, Ty realized he wanted to wipe away all that grief and lingering sorrow.
“I usually carry these for our anniversary. You know, for preparation.” Vance looked like he had more to say, but shut up.
There it was again, sudden tension between them. Pain flared inside him. Ty saw Vance and his dead husband in his mind’s eye, having dinner, drinks, conversation, and after that? Vance would take his man home for sex.
He clenched his fists by his sides, not needing the reminder that he’d always be second-best.
“Fuck,” Vance said. “You didn't need to.”
Ty shook his head. “My fault, I asked.”
His cock began to wilt but it wasn’t Vance’s fault. He stooped down, about to pick up his own jeans, then froze. Vance didn’t look at him, but flipped the condom wrapper over his fingers as if it were a coin, a magic trick. Ty didn’t like the blank look in Vance’s gaze, as if the other man had already been transported to a place he couldn’t reach.
Ty put on his underwear, jeans, and shirt. He had every right to stomp out of there, but he stood in front of Vance. Vance blinked, looked up, as if wondering what Ty was still doing there. Ty didn’t know the answer to that, either. He plucked the condom foil, then lube, and walked to the kitchen to dispose of them.
“What are you doing?”
“I’ll be right back. Answer your damn door.” Ty exited the apartment and punched the elevator button, his heart beating so hard, he thought it might burst from the confines of his chest. Dammit. This entire night felt like one huge fuck-up, and he didn’t know if he was making things better or worse.
The elevator doors hissed open just as Vance yanked open the front door, jeans sitting precariously low on his hips. Ty’s gaze slid to the V of Vance’s hips, and he imagined himself licking the firm lines, tracing the brickwork of abs— Ty killed the thought. He needed his head screwed on tight.
“I don’t understand,” Vance stated, looking a little lost, so confused that it broke Ty’s heart seeing him like that.
“I’m going to return.”
Vance frowned. “I don’t get it.”
“Me neither.”
“I’ll understand if you don’t come back.”
“So keen on seeing me leave?”
Vance shook his head. “You took a chance on a broken man. That takes plenty of guts. I’m the disappointment.”
“Certain wounds can’t heal overnight.” Ty pressed the button to the ground floor. Before the doors closed, he caught a glimpse of Vance’s crumbling expression. Once he reached the first floor, he exited the building. Night wind caressed his face.
Ty looked back at the apartment, then started to walk. Not too late for his exit, but he’d promised Vance he’d return. He walked three blocks before locating the convenience store he’d spotted during the drive to Vance’s place.
The girl at the cashier stared at his items, before ringing them up. Normally, he would be embarrassed to be caught purchasing a box of condoms and lube, but not now. Tonight, he had a mission.
Ty had started this. He’d broken Vance’s usual routine by asking the man out. Ty needed to finish this, to throw Vance completely off guard, to break the cycle, and maybe, Vance could start moving on, even if that meant one painful step at a time.
“Have a good night,” the young woman said after he paid for his purchases. She gave him a wink as he walked away.
Without realizing it, he found himself back where he started. He took the elevator up to Vance’s penthouse and rang the bell. Inside, he heard a crash and Vance swearing, then the door opened.
“You’re here again,” Vance asked, lifting his brows. He frowned at the brown paper bag Ty held. “You headed out for snacks?”
“Are you going to invite me in?” Vance stood aside as he entered and showed Vance the items. “See? Not snacks. You understand why I bought these?”
Vance slowly considered him and nodded. This would be a new start for them both. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Maybe that’s true.”
Vance didn’t smile at his teasing tone. “I mean it. Only a crazy bastard would come back after just now.”
“You don’t like crazy?”
“I’m getting a taste for it.”
“Where were we?”
Vance ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Look, Ty. I appreciate what you did, but I killed the mood just now. If you’re doing all this to make me feel b
etter—”
“Shut up.” Ty crossed the distance between them, pressed a hand over Vance’s bare chest, and leaned forward for a kiss. Just like that, Vance quickly took over, closing a hand on the back of his neck. The kiss was sharp, rough, and full of hunger. Ty’s dick pulsed in his jeans. He pulled away, lips swollen, and said, “I’m not doing this just for you. You aren’t some charity case to me. Can’t you feel it, this thing between us? It’s potential.”
“Potential for what?”
“Let’s find out together.” Ty began to nudge Vance back to the couch, but Vance grabbed his arm.
“No, the bedroom.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Taking initiative now? I like it.”
Vance flashed him a sharp-toothed smile that once again reminded Ty of a predator confident of his conquest. A shiver of anticipation crawled down his spine.
“You came back for me, haven’t given up hope on a guy like me,” Vance said. “That means the world to me. Now it’s my turn to make you feel so good, you won’t regret taking a chance on me.”
Chapter Six
Vance pulled him close for another kiss. Like a puppet on a string, Ty bumped into Vance’s chest, practically melting at Vance’s next kiss. Ty didn’t expect this man could be gentle too, but Vance claimed him mouth, sweet and tender. He only noticed that Vance began edging them both slowly to the hallway, which he presumed led to Vance’s bedroom.
They passed by a closed door, then stumbled into another. Along the way, they managed to divest each other of their clothing. Ty groaned as Vance’s muscular frame clashed with his slender form. The backs of his legs hit the bed’s footboard. Vance gave him a push, and his ass kissed the soft comforter.
“Scoot up,” Van ordered.
Ty did as he asked, pulse racing as Vance joined him in bed, crawling on top of him. Vance planted his elbows on either side of the bed, keeping his weight off Ty. Vance was a careful lover, Ty realized, not expecting that. Vance lowered himself and plundered his mouth, sending electric jolts to his dick.
Vance, the tease, abruptly stopped, only to plant more kisses down the side of his neck. Ty moaned as he went lower, took his left nipple into his mouth, and sucked. Ty bucked, clawed at the sheets as Vance bit, leaving a perfect imprint of his teeth there. At the same time, Vance curled a fist around his shaft and stroked. Vance moved to his right nipple, speeding up the hand job.
Crazy Bastard Page 3