Something in Common (Dreamspinner Press Bundles)

by Talia Carmichael

  “I’m not kidding. I want to date you, Bur.” Gerald’s face was somber and very serious.

  Bur sat back and blinked. He’d thought Gerald was joking with him. Gerald’s expression let him know he wasn’t.

  “What, you getting your kicks teasing the gay man? All of a sudden, you’re gay and want to date me? Really? Are you ready to fuck me too? If so, we don’t need a date. We can go upstairs and get it done. Oh no, ha-ha. Are you shocked and scared of having my big cock in your ass?” Bur demanded.

  “You really do have a potty mouth.”

  “And you’re an asshole to be using what I told you. That’s cruel, Ramirez.” He stood, sneering.

  “Gerald. To you, my name is Gerald.”

  “Like it fucking matters. You know what? You keep your distance from me, or I’ll kick in your kneecaps.” Bur flipped him the bird and turned.

  “Potty mouth and violent. No wonder I’m attracted to you,” Gerald said.

  Bur clenched his fist, then turned back, letting it swing. Gerald caught it and yanked him against his bigger frame.

  “Mother-fucking wanker.”

  “I don’t even know what a wanker is, but I bet it’s something nasty.”

  “Asshole. You understand that?” Bur struggled.

  Gerald held him effortlessly. Bur shifted his leg. This close, it wouldn’t be a solid shot, but he could hurt Gerald’s knee. He moved his leg.

  “Shut up, Bur.”

  “Don’t fucking—”

  Gerald kissed him. Bur stilled his leg and stiffened. Gerald moved back a little and whispered, “Kiss me back. Act like you mean it.” Gerald’s tone was challenging.

  Bur stared into his dark, almost black gaze, then leaned forward. Gerald met him. Bur pushed his tongue against the seam of Gerald’s lips. Gerald opened, letting him in. Bur kissed him, stroking his tongue deep into the recesses of his mouth. He slid his arms around Gerald’s broad shoulders, holding him tightly. Gerald’s groan filled his mouth. He rocked against Bur, grinding his erection on him. At the proof of his desire, Bur lost it. He used Gerald’s shoulders as leverage and lifted his leg. He moved it up Gerald’s hip. Gerald gripped the back of his leg, pulling him closer. He cupped Bur’s ass, kneading it with his other hand. Bur twisted, creating friction between their erections. Gerald wrenched his lips from Bur’s. Bur blinked. He hadn’t even known when he’d closed his lids. Gerald’s gaze was as dazed as Bur was sure his was.

  “Wow. So that’s how it is to kiss a man.” Gerald’s voice was raspy.

  Realization of what he was doing dawned at Gerald’s words, and Bur pushed at him. Gerald didn’t release him.

  “I will break your kneecap,” Bur said.

  “Violence again. We just shared our first kiss, and you have nothing nice to say.” Gerald waited.

  Bur took a deep breath. The scent of Gerald filled him. It reminded him of just after a stormy rain. He cleared his throat before speaking.

  “You’re not gay, so this is a mistake.” Bur gestured between the two of them.

  “I’m not gay.”

  Disappointment that he’d confirmed it filled Bur.

  “But I am attracted to you, Bur. You. And I know you’re a man, as I can clearly feel your dick pressed against mine. It’s a disconcerting feeling.” Gerald smiled.

  “See? Then you need to leave me alone. Walk away,” Bur said.

  “I can’t. I tried to for two weeks, and all I could think about was you.” Gerald frowned.

  Bur refused to let Gerald’s words make him think anything that was improbable. No way was Gerald going to want him.

  “I can see you don’t believe me. But give me a chance. I want to be with you. Let’s date and see where it goes,” Gerald urged.

  Testing him, Bur said, “We don’t need to date. If you want to fuck, we can go upstairs.”

  “You think that will make me turn tail and run. A pun.” Gerald laughed.

  “You’re an aggravating man,” Bur gritted out.

  Gerald sobered. “Ditto. You’ve been pushing my buttons since you got here. Now I know why. As I told you the other day, I’m not looking for just sex. Are you going to live up to what you said?”

  Bur remembered his words clearly.

  If you weren’t straight, I might have been interested in more than sex.

  “I have a big mouth, and it gets me in trouble.”

  “I like your mouth. What was it I felt when we kissed?” Gerald looked at his lips.

  Bur opened and showed him his tongue piercing.

  “Why would you put a piercing there?” Gerald stared at it.

  “It feels good.”

  “How could something that had to hurt feel good?” Gerald ran his finger over the piercing.

  Bur nipped at his finger. Gerald pulled away.

  “To put it in is a bit of pain. But the feel good is to my bed partners.”

  “How….” Gerald frowned.

  Bur bit back a laugh as he saw on Gerald’s face when it dawned on him what he meant. Gerald tightened his hand on his ass.

  “Interesting. I’m still waiting for your answer.” Gerald’s gaze was steady.

  “Okay, we can go out.” Bur spoke before he even thought of what he was saying.

  He wondered if he was indeed crazy, because dating Gerald would lead to nothing but heartache that he would regret for years to come. Bur was shocked at what he had thought.

  No. No. Gerald is just another man who has caught my fancy. He’s straight, but supposedly attracted to me. Once he realizes what being with a man entails, he’ll go back to women. And that will be fine.

  And he would be fine. Bur was a survivor, and dating Gerald would not affect him. He’d make sure to keep whatever it was they were doing in perspective. Just dates. Gerald was experimenting, and who was he not to help him.

  You’re such a liar. You just want to get into his pants.

  He did, but knew it was unlikely, since Gerald would change his mind before it went that far.

  “Is Thursday night good for you?”

  “Sure, Ramirez.” Bur nodded.

  He knew Gerald didn’t work Thursday through Sunday.

  “Gerald. Say it.”

  Bur glared. “Gerald. But piss me off and it’s back to Ramirez.”

  “Good enough. And it’ll be Wilbur if you make me mad.”

  “Humph. Call me that, and I’ll call you Ramirez and some other colorful words.”

  Gerald laughed, then spoke. “During sex, do gay men like taking or receiving?”

  Bur could see he was really serious. “Don’t ever ask a gay man that. It’s like assuming there is only one way all heterosexual couples have sex. Do you only do missionary position or doggy style? It goes according to each man and is something you would find out from them.”

  “Okay. Then which do you prefer?” Gerald asked.

  “You seem to have a lot of questions.”

  “How can I learn these things if I don’t ask?”

  “Research it, if you want to really know. I’ve heard you say some things that show your ignorance about gay men. We all laughed at it, since you’re a funny guy, but if you’re serious about giving this a chance, I’ll give you some websites and books you can buy. Then come back to me with more informed questions, and I’ll answer them.” Bur figured Gerald wouldn’t take the time to get to know about being gay.

  “Give me a list,” Gerald said.

  He’d expected him to at least say that.

  “I’ll e-mail it to you. I need to get the links.”

  “I’ll give you my address. And my phone number too.” Gerald kissed him gently, then released him.

  Bur lowered his leg and stepped back.

  “I’ll remake your tea,” Gerald said.

  “I’ll do it. I don’t do that tea bag crap.”

  “I know. You use leaves and steep it.”

  Bur marveled that he knew that. Gerald went to the island and retrieved the pot, and Bur sat and watched as he
made a fresh pot of tea. He made it as Bur would have liked, then walked to the table and put the fresh cup in front of Bur. Gerald gripped his hair, pulling his head back.

  “I’m trained to observe, Bur. I see more than you know. I think about things that most people might not. Like, I know you think I’m experimenting. You expect me to date you, then get tired of it and walk away. When you get to know me, you’ll understand me better.” Gerald kissed him, then released the hold on his hair.

  He moved back toward the counter, poured a cup of coffee, then added some sugar and returned to the table. Gerald sat beside him, drinking from his cup. Bur knew he should stop staring, but couldn’t. The idea that they were going on a date was actually registering.

  “Drink your tea before it gets cold. I’m not going to make you another one.” Gerald lifted his own cup.

  “You didn’t need to make me this one.” Bur lifted his tea and sipped.

  “Since I was the reason it got cold, I did.” Gerald leaned back in the chair.

  They drank their hot beverages silently. After taking the last bit of tea, Bur put down his cup. He viewed the beautiful gardens outside. It was why he liked sitting in this seat to have his first cup of tea in the mornings. On the weekends, Harper usually went to the family room and relaxed before they met up for breakfast. Bur turned his gaze, and his eyes locked with dark ones. In them, he saw a softness Gerald didn’t usually look at him with. On Gerald’s face was a playfulness, and he looked relaxed.

  “Stop acting like a Stepford wife and grinning at me. It’s freaking me out, you being so friendly. I’m used to you growling at me and storming away. Be Gerald, and not this pod person.” Bur widened his eyes and made his face go slack.

  Gerald laughed, then leaned closer. “I’m enjoying being around you for a change. It freaking you out is a good side benefit. This is me. Being all growly is only when I’m teed off or unsure about something, like I’ve been about you for the last six months. You just didn’t fit in any category I tried to put you into. First, I thought you were a leech using Harper. You fit in with the guys we hang out with, and could hold your own with them effortlessly. When I looked at you, all I saw was the don’t care, arrogant, broke ass ex-singer who was using everyone. But I think it’s all a front you put on to make people believe you’re harmless.” Gerald shifted even closer, gaze steady on Bur. “And that was what has been bugging me about you. You’re in no way as harmless or as cavalier as you make out to be. There’s a lot behind those pale green eyes, things you hide that you don’t want anyone to see. You’re a puzzle, Bur, and I’m really good at figuring them out.”

  Bur lowered his head close to his. “I miss the growly man. He doesn’t talk as much or use words like cavalier.”

  “You use quips or a joke to make people not see you too close. But, Bur, I see you.” Gerald moved forward again.

  “Do you happen to see dead people too?” Bur moved a smidge closer.

  Gerald chuckled. “There’s that smart mouth again.”

  Bur lowered his eyes to Gerald’s full lips. They were so temptingly close. He focused back on his eyes. “What are you going to do about it?”

  Gerald glanced at his lips, then to his eyes. “Not a thing.”

  Disappointment filled Bur. But he kept it out of his face. In his career, he’d learned not to show too much of what you were thinking.

  “I made the first move on you. Now it’s your turn. What are you going to do, Wilbur?” Gerald’s smile was taunting.

  “Don’t call me that,” Bur growled.

  Gerald’s lids partially lowered over his dark eyes, and then he spoke. “Bur.”

  His husky, gravelly voice was even deeper. Bur didn’t even realize he’d moved. He pressed his lips against Gerald’s full ones. Gerald growled, a deep, rumbly sound, and pushed his tongue into his mouth. Bur opened, sucking it. Gerald’s moan vibrated in his mouth, and then he sucked Bur’s tongue. He stroked along the top of his piercing. Bur shifted closer, then gasped as he tipped off the chair. Gerald pulled him into his arms and onto his lap, leaning back without breaking their kiss. Straddling him, Bur whimpered as he kissed him. The taste of the coffee Gerald had drunk flavored their kiss.

  “Oh… sorry.” Harper’s confused voice snapped Bur to his senses.

  He jerked, but Gerald held his head, continuing to kiss him deeply, then slowly pulling his tongue out. Bur raised his head. Harper’s face and hazel eyes matched his voice. He came toward them.

  “We—”

  “Ramirez was choking, and you stuck your tongue down his throat to give him the Heimlich,” Harper said dryly.

  Bur resisted a snort. Harper sat in the chair on the opposite side of Gerald. Bur returned to his own seat. He waited to see how Gerald would explain, since he had tried and failed.

  “This is what you were thinking about?” Harper gestured between the two of them.

  “Yes.”

  “I’m glad I gave Bur a room with its own bathroom, because I sure as hell don’t want to see your naked butt,” Harper said.

  “It was just that once. I forgot I wasn’t home.” Gerald laughed.

  “You’re lucky I confiscated the camera from Karl, or he would have had pictures of your ass posted all over the place.”

  “As I’ve told you before, it would have been fine. It’s my best feature,” Gerald stated.

  He and Harper chuckled. Bur didn’t even understand their conversation. Harper was acting as if it wasn’t a big deal to find his straight friend kissing his gay one in his kitchen. Harper seemed to notice his confusion.

  “Oh, you don’t know the story. It was the first night Ramirez had stayed here at the house. He’d come over for dinner, and we had gotten a little happy with drinking, so we told him to stay the night. He went to bed, and we stayed up a while longer. Karl and I were on our way to bed. We had just made it to the landing when Gerald stumbled out of the guest room. Naked. I was shocked, getting a full frontal of my husband’s best friend. Karl was laughing his head off. Ramirez, being who he is, just said as he always does, ‘Wait. Let me show you my best feature.’ Then he turned and showed us his ass. Karl, being the lunatic he was, told him to wait, let him get the camera, and ran downstairs for it. I was left with this naked crazy man. And do you know what he did?” Harper glared at Ramirez, who was chuckling, then back to Bur before continuing. “Stood there having a conversation, like he wasn’t nude. It was a one-sided one. Ramirez was talking and answering himself. I knew he had a warped sense of humor before, but that only cemented it. When Karl came back, he and Ramirez proceeded to take pictures of his ass. Ramirez posed like a model. Even did a model walk as Karl snapped away. I couldn’t even look away because the entire thing was so surreal. The two of them together were trouble. Add Miguel to the mix, and they were worse. I’m just glad Miguel wasn’t here, or God knows he would have taunted Karl into stripping down and shucked his own clothing. They would have had me taking pictures as they posed nude.”

  “Hey. That was just the one time we tried to do that. You wouldn’t take the pictures. And when we got the tripod to hold up the camera, you hid it,” Gerald said.

  “I sure as hell did. You are all crazy.” Harper continued with his story. “Anyway. When they were done, Ramirez just calmly went to the bathroom as he had been doing. The next morning, I was in the kitchen, and he came in. I didn’t know what to say. He did mention that he slept in the nude, and since he was a little drunk, he’d forgotten where he was and went to the bathroom, that seeing Karl and me was unplanned. Then he proceeded to tell me I really needed to get over my shyness, because he was touchy feely with his friends, and was sometimes crude. Even if he didn’t say it, I know it was his way of apologizing for making me uncomfortable. Of course, after that, whenever he slept over, I made sure he was in a room with a bathroom attached.” Harper smiled fondly at Gerald.

  “We shocked the hell out of your shyness really quick.” Gerald laughed.

  “You all sure did. I’ll
make breakfast.” Harper went to stand.

  “Nah. You sit. I’ll get it. Is omelets, hash, and toast okay with everyone?” Gerald asked.

  Harper nodded, and Bur did too. Gerald rose. He kissed Bur briefly, then went to make breakfast. Bur watched him as he moved about the kitchen. When he noticed what he was getting for the omelets, he called, “No—”

  “Onions. I know you don’t like them,” Gerald said.

  “How the hell does he know that?” Bur asked.

  “Ramirez notices a lot. Karl used to say he’s always been like that. It’s what makes him such a good cop,” Harper said.

  Bur studied Harper. “You’ve known him a long time.”

  “Yep. He and Karl grew up in the same neighborhood. Miguel’s family too. Actually, most of the men who we play poker with and hang out with all grew up together. It’s why they’re all so close. When Karl and I met, he knew I was the one for him. I, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure. His friends, each and every one of them, acted as matchmakers. They get all up in each other’s business, but they mean well. If it gets too much, just make it clear, and they’ll back off. Well, only if it isn’t something that would endanger you in some way. Otherwise, they won’t let it be. Basically, when I married Karl, I knew I was gaining a large extended family. That’s what all the men are—family.” Harper laughed, then added, “Although, the Rodriguez and Longoria clans… we could be our own little country of people. And with more coupling, we gain more people in our family. Like you and your brothers.”

  “Well, Bernie anyway. Del isn’t much for joining in. He’s always been that way, even when we were young. But more so now,” Bur said.

  “I can’t really gauge, since I only met him that one time. Hey. I just remembered. Did you ever invite him over to dinner?”

  “I have, but he keeps saying no. I’m working on him.”

  “Okay.”

  Bur glanced at Gerald, busy cooking, then back to Harper. “I don’t get why you don’t have anything to say about walking in on us.”

  “What is there to say?” Harper’s brow furrowed.