“Tell me one thing,” he ordered as Mark’s eyes looked everywhere but at him.
Mark only nodded back and Zane, tired of working for his attention, snapped an arm out and tugged Mark up against him, his shirt fisted in one hand. The other man was so surprised that he finally met Zane’s narrowed gaze.
“Are you still with him?”
Mark’s eyebrows shot up as he swallowed and sputtered, shaking his head. “N-no. We broke up a long time ago. Ra—”
“Don’t tell me his name,” Zane said softly, his lips drawing closer. “Do you still want to be with him?”
Mark licked his lips and Zane caught the quick flash of pink tongue. “Not anymore.” His words were solid and unwavering as he gently placed his hands on Zane’s waist, fingers curving through his belt loops.
In a sudden surge, Zane stalked forward until Mark fell onto the bed. He was shocked at this feral streak running through him; it was so unlike how he normally was with men. Leaning over Mark, he caged him in with his arms and with a mouth still hard with the desire to possess, he ground out, “Prove it.”
Mark moved fast, pulling Zane’s head down until his mouth was hot against his. Their tongues met in a wet glide and their lips slid together. The buttons on Zane’s shirt popped apart, one by one, Pop, Pop, Pop, as Mark gave it a good yank. Then sitting up, he was at the perfect height to lay kiss after kiss over the sensitive skin of Zane’s chest and stomach. When searching fingers found his belt and undid it, Zane jolted and his head shot back.
He was euphoric as he wrenched Mark to his feet and brought his mouth down hard. There was no timidity in the meeting. The desire was boiling within him and he thought only of kissing deeper, touching more. His hands roamed Mark’s body, completely taken by the soft hair sprinkled over his abdomen.
Zane lifted Mark’s shirt in one move, pulling it off over his head. The lean muscles of Mark’s stomach and chest grew tight as he ran his hands up over Zane’s back and shoulders, eliciting a moan as their chests crushed together.
There was too much material between them as Zane’s hips jerked against Mark, the evidence of their arousal meeting. Zane nearly barked with pleasure as Mark rode his leg in a tight advance.
“God,” Mark whispered, his lips breaking away from Zane’s to run across the skin of his chest. “So warm…”
Enough! Zane thought, totally overcome. Wrapping one arm tightly around Mark, he lifted him and slid him across the mattress, hovering over him. Zane let out a heavy gasp as he arched back and ground his hips against Mark, breaking into a sweat when the beautiful man reciprocated and bolted his body upward.
With Zane’s strong hands, Mark left a blazing trail up Zane’s chest until they were braced on either side of his neck. “Kiss me,” he demanded.
Zane immediately dipped back down and licked into his mouth, growing harder when Mark trembled beneath him. “You feel me?” he said, releasing his lips and staring into those green eyes as he pulsed his hips against Mark.
“Y-yes…” Mark jacked upward again and reached down between their bodies to undo Zane’s button fly. His fingers grazed the tip of Zane’s cock and Zane hissed, moving to give him better access.
This is too soon. Happening too fast! Zane thought frantically, the weaker part of him fighting for control.
He forced the internal warnings away and was about to return the favor with Mark’s zipper when a voice shouted down the hallway toward the bedroom and they both froze.
“Reid! Mark! Where are you bastards?”
Mark’s eyes widened and he covered his face with one hand. “Shit! Holy shit,” he snapped. “Sean’s here. Son of a bitch!”
“Whose truck is that in the driveway? It’s nice,” Sean called out again, his voice sounding closer.
Zane started to back off the bed, knowing Mark probably didn’t want his brother seeing him sprawled out under some dude, when the door flew open hard enough to slam against the wall. Zane moved in a flash to hide Mark with his own body.
“What are you—oh mother of God! My eyes!” Sean yelled, covering his face and giving them his back.
There was no way to hide they were on their way to some amazing fucking sex, so Zane didn’t waste time pretending they were talking about the benefits of a quality bedspread. He backed off slowly. Mark was mouthing an apology over and over as they stood up and Zane shook his head, trying his damnedest to look accepting as he buttoned his shirt and pants. The jangling of his belt buckle pealed like the goddamn closing stock market bell.
“I thought you weren’t supposed to be here until, like tomorrow, or something,” Mark choked out, sounding breathless in a way that had Zane clamping down on his bottom lip. He was overloaded on arousal right now.
Sean Newland and his terrible fucking timing, Zane thought. He was destined to live with these blue balls. And what a way to meet his boyfriend’s oldest brother.
“I managed to settle a couple of the contract issues and snag an extra day off.” Sean’s hands were still covering his eyes and he was facing the door. “Dude. I didn’t know you were in here getting it on. Obviously I would’ve given you a two or three house berth,” he semi-apologized. “That was sort of the worst thing to see. No offense.”
“Forget it.” Mark mumbled, trying to talk around tangled up t-shirt as he tugged it over his head. At least Sean didn’t show up five minutes later when they were really into it. As it was, the two of them hadn’t made it far and didn’t have a lot of clothing to throw back on. “You can uncover your eyes; we’re decent.”
“I’m not sure, but I might be permanently blinded.”
“Oh screw you for ruining the moment,” Mark snapped and Zane reached over to squeeze his hand.
“It’s okay,” he mouthed. “Later.” Zane wished he meant it. He wanted Mark now and later he’d be carting his tented pants back to L.A.
Sean turned, ready to block his eyes or eject himself from the room if he needed to and they all stood there self-consciously.
“Well?” Sean blurted. “Give me a hug, kid,” he said, managing to smile. He still hadn’t met Zane’s eyes, which was good because Zane wasn’t sure he could keep from strangling him with his bare hands.
Mark gave a crooked smile and finally moved to hug his brother. “Really am sorry,” Sean mumbled against his shoulder.
When they broke apart, Zane stepped forward, clearing his throat. “I’m Zane, by the way.” You nearly saw my bare ass.
Sean stared for a long minute and paled. “Hell,” he grumbled, shaking his hand. “Zane Whitlow, Mark? Seriously? You little hussy.”
“What about it?” Mark grunted, looking pissed, while Zane’s brow darkened.
Sean broke and dissolved into laughter, eventually stumbling to take a seat on the weight bench Reid kept in the guest room. “This is terrible! The worst cockblock of all time. It’s probably like a record what I just did. Zane Whitlow…” More laughter punctuated with some wheezy breaths and Sean tried to speak again. “I’m so sorry, guys. Damn,” he coughed.
Zane wanted to keep glaring, but his lips began to move into a smile. “Well, I’ll never forget this meeting,” he admitted and Mark dropped his head into his hands.
Sean wiped at his eyes and stood up. “I need a huge fucking beer, preferably kiddie pool-sized. You guys want one—or do you wanna get back to—I mean, I can turn on some music really loud or something. I’d go somewhere else but a cab dropped me—”
“Sean,” Mark snapped. “I think that ship’s sailed for now. These nuts ain’t gonna be busting while you’re in the next room.”
His brother winced and shook his head apologetically. “So…beer?”
“Beer,” Mark exhaled, shoulders sagging pathetically.
“Zane?”
He gave a negative shake of his head and waited until Sean left them before he turned to Mark, running a hand wearily over his mouth. Mark sank back onto the bed and stared at his feet.
“This was the worst idea ever, wasn’t
it?” he blurted. “I mean, I wanted to see you, but meeting my family—especially meeting them this way—I am so totally embarrassed. It’s like I’m sixteen years old or something and my mom walked in on me jerking off.” He shrugged dejectedly and looked up at Zane with pained eyes. “This isn’t at all realistic is it?”
Zane frowned at him, not following. At first he thought Mark was talking about sex, then…not so much.
“You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about this, too,” Mark demanded. “Even if we spent every waking moment together between now and when I have to fly home, we’d still be living completely different lives. You’d be this totally famous movie star in L.A. that I stumbled upon when I was on vacation, and I’d be regular old me, living in New Mexico, working and playing in a police department softball league. Are we seriously going to try to start something like this?”
The blood drained from Zane’s face and the frustration simmering beneath the surface finally boiled over. “Don’t be a coward. Tell me you’re fucking joking right now, Mark. Tell me you’re not ending this before it even starts because of my line of work.”
Mark went back to staring at his shoes. “I can’t compete with the guys you probably meet day in and day out, not to mention the women who throw themselves at you, too. It’s a lifestyle I’m not at all used to and we don’t even know if we’d be able to see each other. How does it work? I’m a totally regular, run-of-the-mill guy dealing with a…superstar.”
Zane scowled, his hands tightening to fists with the tension in his body. “Says you. I’m well known but that doesn’t mean I’ve let that go to my head. I’m a regular man, too. And let me tell you something about all these guys you think I’m meeting—most men don’t give a shit about me, they only care about the guy they see on screen or in the tabloids. They care about money. They care about fame and partying and drugs. I don’t know why you’re feeling sorry for yourself all of a sudden, Mark, but if you were like the people I meet in L.A. I wouldn’t have driven to your parents’ house after sharing one dinner date and a few phone calls. I wouldn’t have been going out of my mind wondering how to spend more time with you so that you’d see there’s something between us that’s different and worth trying for.
“I’m not asking for a goddamn commitment ceremony here. Stop being dramatic. I want a chance, but I won’t beg for it.” Zane turned his back to stride to the door, then stopped and came back. “I finally meet a guy who doesn’t give a damn that I’m in movies or how much money I make and he turns around and says he’s not going to live up to my expectations. So he actually does care what I do—only it’s in the opposite way guys usually do! Ironic right?” Zane lifted his hands in frustration and let them fall back to his sides.
“Why don’t you let me decide who I can like and why? I’m a normal guy, too, Mark,” he repeated. “I grew up in North Dakota with a single mom, bagging groceries to help pay the bills. I got scholarships to get my ass to good schools. I ran track and was in the drama club getting made up for shows—try explaining that to your buddies who are actually right on when they suspect you of being a fag.”
Mark stood abruptly and looked at him beseechingly, but Zane held him off with a pointed look. He was going to have his say.
“I moved to L.A. and went to casting call after casting call and finally got lucky with some small parts. Then I got luckier with bigger parts…and so on, until I’m making huge money, have almost no time to myself, and can’t trust most of the men I come across because I know they couldn’t give a shit about where I come from and who I am. So, if you don’t want to try this—fine—like I already told you once, I’ll go and leave you alone. And if this is you pussing out because the road looks rough and because some douche bag made you feel like less than nothing in the past, like I suspect, then I guess I should make this choice for myself and go home while I still have some dignity.”
“Hold on.” Mark pleaded, carefully stepping closer to him, like he was an animal out of his cage. “Don’t leave. I just wanted to have a conversation about this.”
Zane shoved his hands in his pockets and fumed, trying not to get his hopes up and embarrassingly close to throwing his dignity out the window anyway. And a-one, and a-two, and a-BEG.
“Zane,” Mark sighed, dropping his head and nervously twining his fingers behind his neck. “I’m sorry. Really.” Zane started to interrupt, but Mark talked over him. “No, you’re right, I was totally taking the cowards way out. And I know that if you left this house, I would’ve chased you on foot down the highway.” Mark dropped his hands and held one out for Zane to grab. After a moment, he did.
“I know this is bigger than anything I’ve been through in the past,” Mark eventually continued. “It has more potential and more risk than any other relationship, honestly, and here I was thinking I’d already been through some tough relationship challenges.”
“What’s this about then, Mark? We were getting into things when Sean showed up. Were you going to let loose on me then kick me out of your bed once you were done with me—send me on my way? A famous conquest. I’ve had my fair share of casual sex and I don’t want it anymore. That’s not what I’m in this for.”
Mark bit down on his lip and shook his head. “I don’t want to screw around. I’ve had enough of that and it makes me sick that I’d come across that way at all. It’s just—it’s really easy for me to believe that I’m going to end up someone’s second choice. Your ‘no games’ thing helped at first because I’ve never had anyone pursue me like that. It’s always been where I’m left wondering how a guy feels about me. That’s led to a couple one night stands that I thought were going somewhere—and one long-term relationship where it turned out the guy was miserable with me.” Mark gave up staring at Zane’s chest and finally met his eyes, the hurt still very much alive in them. “I don’t really have words to describe how it felt when it sunk in that I was a guy that someone was settling for. I was good enough but not perfect. I look at you—your life, what you’re accustomed to, even how unbelievably gorgeous you are—and I can’t help but think that might happen again.”
Zane pulled on Mark’s hand and waited as he slowly allowed himself to be tugged closer. “Being around you is scaring the hell out of me.” He actually chuckled at the unhappy look on Mark’s face. “I’m serious. You matter and so I’m not going to do well if every time you experience some doubt you show me the door.” He gave Mark’s hand a little shake. “I came up here to see you, knowing I wouldn’t get much alone time with you, if any, but I didn’t care because I would rather be near you with your whole family around, than back in L.A. alone. I like your family, too, though Sean’s timing blows…”
“Then…how do we figure this out; figure us out? Whatever we are.” Mark breathed, vulnerability stamped on his features. “Two or three days and I’m already messed up like this?” He shuddered. “I could drive you crazy.”
And the tabloids didn’t even know about them yet. Terrific.
Zane lifted his shoulders, his lips tilting up on one side. “Well, calm down for one. Then we take it one thing at a time, I guess. One call, one visit… But, you gotta understand me, I don’t want any ghosts hanging out with us. I’m going back to L.A. tonight. I don’t want to leave you at all, especially with a bunch of doubts between us. You have to trust that I mean it when I say that and when I say you’re the man I’m interested in. If you can’t, then we ought to stop this here.”
Please say that’s a bad idea.
Mark moved in until his cheek rested against Zane’s neck, then hesitantly wound his arms around his waist. “I don’t want to stop this. I’m just…so damn nervous.”
Zane pulled back so he could tilt Mark’s face toward his and see into his eyes. “Quit it. I got you.”
Gently at first, then with firm purpose, Zane kissed him, his mind still recovering from the near miss of a sudden relationship death. The kiss was heating up, tongues intertwined and hands roaming again, when there was a solid knoc
k on the door.
“Reid’s out of beer!”
“Dammit, Sean!” Mark roared.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Mark, his family, and Zane were all crammed into one of the darker corners of The Smashed Axe, a local rock joint that Reid and his band—The Greedy Bastards—played in almost every week. The guys were finishing up their first set and sounding really good, playing mostly cover songs that everyone knew. The crowd was getting bigger and the volume increasing as more and more people started singing along to the last stanza of an Aerosmith song.
Reid was grooving through the guitar riffs, but Mark was barely hearing it with Zane pressed in close behind him. The moment his parents arrived, his man jumped up and offered Patty his seat and now Zane’s presence was like a blow torch at Mark’s back.
After Sean and Zane’s terrible start they’d settled into a stilted rapport that was helped along mostly because it was too loud to talk in the bar. Patty and Brad were watching Reid with identical that’s-our-son-on-stage-can-you-believe-it! looks on their faces. It was a really great night. It would be perfect if Mark could get back to being alone with Zane, but he didn’t want to disappoint his family by ducking out early. They’d all know what he was up to and there was something about his mom seeing him sneak off to get laid that pretty much sucked the magic right out of it, adding a lot of ewww instead. Looking at her over bacon and eggs in the morning wouldn’t feel right.
Zane trailed a hand over Mark’s back and let it rest between his shoulder blades like a great, big, sexy IOU. Mark wanted those fingers in his mouth, running down his neck to his chest…and lower. Glancing back in the dim light, he caught sight of those full lips tilting upward in a comfortable smile and his body immediately responded. He tilted his head back at the same time Zane moved closer so he could speak right into his ear, “You have to stop looking at me like that. I’m going to lose it.”
“Consider it extended foreplay—like, the longest foreplay in history,” Zane laughed, giving him a squeeze on the back of his neck.
Question Mark Page 11