by Carol Lynne
Sammy looked up and smiled. He stood, said something to Butch and Zac and walked towards Leo. “Hey.”
Leo opened his arms and brought Sammy against his chest. “How’s he doing?”
“Okay. They’ll let him go tomorrow morning if he shows no signs of infection.” Sammy glanced over his shoulder towards Zac. “He won’t discuss what happened. I had to agree not to bring it up before he’d allow me in the room.”
Leo kissed Sammy’s forehead. The action caught Butch’s attention, and the big man strolled over.
“This the guy you’ve been talking about?” Butch asked.
Sammy nodded and stepped back. “Butch, this is Leo.”
Butch’s eyes narrowed as he looked Leo up and down. “How old’re you?”
“Please don’t do this, Butch,” Sammy pleaded.
Leo met the man’s gaze and answered the question. “Forty-eight.”
Butch turned his attention to Sammy. “Do your folks know about this?”
“Unless my lover had a vagina, my folks don’t care to hear about it,” Sammy stated in a matter-of-fact tone.
Butch gestured to the hall. “Why don’t Leo and I get us some sandwiches from the cafeteria?”
“Butch.” Sammy put a hand on Butch’s arm.
Leo couldn’t get over how small Sammy looked standing next to the man. He knew Sammy was trying to protect him, just like he knew Butch was trying to protect Sammy.
“We can do that,” Leo finally said, accepting Butch’s challenge.
Butch ruffled Sammy’s hair. “Stay with Zac. We won’t be long.”
Sammy wrapped his arms around Leo’s neck and pulled his head down for a quick kiss before whispering in his ear. “Don’t let him scare you. He’s been like a father to me for years.”
For someone who’d admitted, only hours earlier, to being frightened of Butch Alben, Sammy talked a good game. Leo smiled and followed Butch to the elevator. At almost six-four, it felt odd to have to look up to meet a man’s eyes. Besides the intimidating height, Butch was built like a brick shithouse. Yep. Ezra’s big brother.
They didn’t say anything on the ride down to the cafeteria.
“Why don’t we have a cup of coffee?” Butch suggested.
Leo ordered a sandwich for himself and one for Sammy, along with a cup of black coffee. He paid for his purchases and found a table in a small nook cut into the cafeteria.
While he waited for Butch to settle his bill, he tried to brace himself. It was obvious Butch had a problem with the age difference between him and Sammy. Hell, I have a problem with the same thing.
Butch set his wrapped sandwich on the table and took a seat. Leo was surprised the hospital chairs were strong enough to hold Butch’s abnormally-sized frame.
“I love Sammy like a son,” Butch began.
Leo nodded. “I can understand that you’re concerned about our age difference, but you need to know Sammy and I have had this exact conversation. It was our first argument, as a matter-of-fact.”
Butch took a sip of his coffee before leaning his forearms on the table. “How much do you know about Sammy’s past?”
Leo shrugged. “Not much, I guess. We’ve only been seeing each other for a couple of weeks.”
“So you don’t know that he was engaged for two years with a woman his parents set him up with.”
It wasn’t a question, so Leo merely shook his head. What it had to do with Leo, he wasn’t sure. He decided to let Butch get to the point before questioning him.
“Sammy’s always been gay. Zac knew it, I knew it and his parents knew it. That didn’t stop them from applying so much pressure to the boy that he allowed himself to get roped into an engagement. Two weeks before the wedding, Sammy finally stood up to his parents and Danielle. They’ve barely spoken to him since. He was so hurt by their actions that he called Zac and ran to Cattle Valley.”
Butch sat back in his chair and took another drink of his coffee. When it didn’t appear he was going to offer more, Leo finally spoke.
“It sucks that parents do that to their children, but what does it have to do with me?”
“You’re around the same age as Lee Han. It makes me wonder whether he’s trying to get back at his dad or if he’s trying to replace him.” Butch narrowed his eyes. “The two of them were very close before the blow-up.”
“Couldn’t have been that close if he was willing to wash his hands of his son so easily. Sammy’s reasons for being with me are his own. I’m not hiding anything from him. He knows exactly how old I am and has known since before we even kissed for the first time.” Leo had gotten used to arguing with himself over the age difference, but he’d be damned if he’d let Butch stick his nose into it.
“All I’m saying…” Butch started.
Leo held his hand up. “Sammy’s been happier in the last two weeks than all the months I’ve known him. I never thought I could have that affect on a man, but for some reason I have. I’m not about to let you or anyone else tell me to walk away because I’m older.”
Butch stared at Leo for several moments before the corner of his mouth tilted up. “Mr. Lee is a wealthy and powerful man in San Antonio. I needed to hear you speak of your relationship with Sammy with conviction in your voice.”
“I take it you’re not too fond of Sammy’s father,” Leo observed.
“Of course I’m not fond of that bigoted prick. It’s one thing to cling to your ancestral ways. It’s something else entirely to turn your back on your son because he chooses a different lifestyle. I knew early on Sammy was like my Zac. It’s why I accepted Sammy into my home so many years ago. The boy needed a place where he could be comfortable with who he was, even though he didn’t know what it was yet.”
Leo finished off his coffee, and rose to toss his cup into the trash. “If we’ve worked out our issues, I’d like to see if I can get Sammy home. He’s taken this pretty hard. He blames himself for not seeing it before last night.”
Butch stood and followed Leo’s lead. “I don’t think anyone saw it coming, not even Zac. It’s probably the reason he’s refusing to talk about it.”
Leo and Butch went back upstairs to Zac’s room. Sammy was in the corner, chewing his fingernails, a habit Leo hadn’t noticed before. He walked over and stood by Sammy’s chair, passing him the sandwich. He unwrapped his own and took a bite, listening as Butch teased Zac about them both having to eat hospital food.
Leo bent down and whispered in Sammy’s ear. “Does Butch need a place to stay?”
Sammy turned his head and brushed a kiss across Leo’s cheek. “No. I’ll tell you about it later.”
After finishing his sandwich, Sammy stood and walked to Zac’s bedside. “We’re going to take off. Are you sure you don’t need anything?”
With one side of his face covered in a loose-fitting gauze wrap, Zac shook his head. He reached out and took Sammy’s hand. “I’ll be okay. I know I yelled at you earlier for calling Dad, but I’m glad you did.”
Sammy grinned. “Yeah. I kinda figured.”
After giving Zac’s hand a squeeze, Sammy left his bedside and walked back to Leo. “I’m ready.”
Leo nodded and stepped towards Zac. He reached across the bed and shook Butch’s hand. “Nice meeting you.” He reached down and touched Zac’s thigh. “Get better and listen to your dad.”
Zac gave Leo a lopsided grin. “You old farts always stick together.”
Leo smiled, but it was one more punch in the gut. “Sure we do. We’ve managed to learn a few things the hard way.”
Turning away, Leo reached for Sammy’s hand and left the room. He was still smarting from the comment and Sammy must have known it because his lover’s arm wrapped around his waist.
“Do you have to go back to work?” Sammy asked as they got into the elevator.
“No. I’m all yours.”
Sammy snorted. “As if.”
Chapter Six
As soon as Sammy buckled himself in, he immediately dropped off to
sleep. Leo alternated between watching the road in front of him and the gorgeous man to his side. He wondered what it would be like to have the kind of friendship Zac and Sammy had. It wasn’t that Leo had never had friends or didn’t now, they’d just never lasted.
He gripped the steering wheel. Leo wasn’t sure if that said more about the friends he’d chosen in the past or his ability to even be a long-term friend.
His thoughts strayed to the conversation with Butch. At some point during their talk, Leo realised he didn’t want to dwell on the differences between him and Sammy. There were plenty of things that could break them up. Age was only one of them.
Sammy had already proven, in many ways, how much he enjoyed Leo’s body, something Leo still found hard to believe. He glanced over at his sleeping lover. Even admitting to himself their new relationship had the possibility of going further was a big step for him. But the more he thought about it, the more he wanted it.
Instead of taking Sammy back to his apartment, Leo drove to the small rental house he’d grown to love. He pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine. Rolling his head to the side, he stared at Sammy once again.
With a brush of his hand over Sammy’s cheek, Leo tried to wake the sleeping beauty. “We’re here,” he said in a soft voice.
Sammy stirred and opened his eyes. “That was fast.”
Leo chuckled. “Can you make it inside?”
Sammy glanced out the windshield before turning to Leo. “I should probably get a change of clothes from my place first.”
Leo leant over and kissed Sammy. “I didn’t really plan on you being dressed at all, but we can always go over later.”
“But if we go now, we won’t have to get dressed later to do it,” Sammy countered with a grin.
Leo nodded and started the engine. “You’re right.”
He pulled back out of the driveway and headed towards the small apartment building Sammy called home.
“So, how hard was Butch on you?” Sammy asked, reaching over to put a hand on Leo’s thigh.
“Not too bad. He was concerned about my intentions, I think.”
“Which are?” Sammy asked, a wide grin on his face.
“Honourable,” Leo answered.
He decided to lay his cards on the table. He hadn’t given Sammy much in the way of hope for a future, and he realised it was time he did so. “I enjoy being with you, in bed and out. I’d like to see where it leads.”
Sammy’s grin morphed into a full-fledged smile with dimples so deep you could insert a fingertip into them. “I’d like that.”
Leo released the breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. “Good.”
* * * *
Sammy opened his eyes to find Leo on the floor beside him, pouring over entry forms for the cook-off. “Sorry.”
Leo’s head snapped up and around. “For what?”
“Falling asleep on you again.” Sammy stretched his arms over his head and yawned.
“Technically, it was under me, but don’t apologise for it. You had a rough night.” Leo set down his pen and ran his hand under the blanket he’d covered Sammy with after he’d fallen asleep.
Sammy moaned as Leo began a slow hand job. For someone who claimed to need hours and hours between erections, Leo was doing an awfully good imitation of a sex-starved teenager.
He threw one leg over the back of the couch, giving Leo room to play. He gestured to the stack of papers on the coffee table. “How many entries do you have?”
“Seventy-three. At fifty dollars a pop for the entry fee and a prize of only a fifty dollar trophy for the winner, I’d say we’re in good shape.”
“It’s not about the trophy. It’s bragging rights for an entire year.” Sammy reached out and ruffled his fingers through Leo’s hair. “Will we have room at the station?”
“I’m starting to wonder. I had no idea we’d have this many entries, and there’re still three days left to register.” Leo’s hand slipped from Sammy’s hard cock down to fondle his sac.
Sammy gasped as Leo’s finger entered his recently fucked hole. “Park.”
“Excuse me?” Leo grinned, inserting another finger.
“Maybe we should have it at the park,” Sammy managed to say as he began to ride Leo’s talented digits.
“What if the weather doesn’t cooperate?”
“People will understand if it’s a little cold. Besides, it’ll give them a better excuse to sample all the hot chilli being served. Just ask Nate. I’m sure he’ll give the okay.” Sammy released Leo’s hair and rubbed his way to his lover’s cock. Although not fully hard, Leo’s cock was far from flaccid.
“Fuck me,” he pleaded, gazing into Leo’s eyes.
Leo leant in and kissed him. Sammy opened for the tongue battle he knew was coming. Leo didn’t disappoint, as the kiss went carnal in a matter of seconds. Sammy giggled when he felt a strand of saliva run from his mouth down the side of his face.
Leo pulled back and wiped it away with his free hand. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m kinda fond of your spit. Now…about the fucking?”
Leo nipped at Sammy’s lower lip. “I’m rather enjoying myself.”
Leo fumbled beside the sofa and came up with the volcanic bottle of lube. He removed his fingers long enough to coat them with the stuff before resuming his puppet-play. “I’ve been sitting here thinking about us while you slept. I even had to cover you so I could concentrate on this paperwork.”
Knowing he wasn’t going to get Leo’s cock, Sammy decided to fully enjoy his lover’s touch. “What were you thinking about?”
Leo broke eye contact and rested his head against Sammy’s chest. “I need you to promise that if someone else catches your eye, you’ll be upfront with me about it.”
It was obvious how Randy’s actions had damaged Leo’s confidence, but the last thing he wanted was to be painted with the same brush. Sammy cupped Leo’s chin and tilted it until they were once again eye to eye. “I’ve been here for nine months, and the absolute only one who’s caught my attention is you.”
“Thanks. It sounds like we’re going to get another lot of newcomers once this building plan goes through. I just want you to always be honest with me.”
Sammy rolled his eyes and playfully slapped the back of Leo’s head. “Why do you think it’s impossible for me to love you and only you? Seriously, Leo, you need to pull your head out of your ass and see what I see. You’re incredibly sexy, you fuck like a dream, you care about everyone around you and you make me laugh on an hourly basis. Why the hell would I go looking elsewhere when I have you in my life? Randy was a fucktard. Forget him.”
Leo got to his knees and wrapped his free hand around Sammy’s cock before leaning down to capture his mouth in a deep kiss. Sammy’s senses were overloading quickly. Between the fingers thrusting in and out of his ass, the tight grip on his cock and the gentle tongue sweeping the interior of his mouth, he didn’t stand a chance.
He cried Leo’s name while their tongues continued to dual as he shot his load. A series of tremors shook his body with each spurt of his seed. When he’d been drained, he opened his eyes and pulled out of the kiss. “No man could ever ask for more than a lover like you.”
* * * *
Sammy’s eyes rounded when Jakob walked into the stationhouse a week later. “What the hell happened?”
Jakob shrugged and touched the tender skin of his bruised and swollen eye. “Got in a fight.”
The small cuts and swelling on Jakob’s right hand attested to that fact. “With who?”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s done now.”
It was obvious Jakob wasn’t in the mood to discuss it, so Sammy let it drop. “Do you mind going with me to the park later to set up tables and chairs for tomorrow’s chilli cook-off?”
“I don’t mind, but if you set them up today, they’ll all have to be dried off tomorrow. Why not just wait until morning?” Jakob asked, taking his usual spot on one of the recliners.
“Because I have a million other things to do in the morning to get ready for this thing. I just thought I’d be able to get one of my tasks done beforehand,” Sammy explained.
Jakob shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with the tables and chairs in the morning. That’ll free you up for other things.”
“Thanks,” Sammy said as Leo walked into the room. He was surprised when Leo sat beside him and leant over for a kiss.
“I take it there’s something going on between the two of you,” Jakob remarked.
Sammy broke their kiss and glanced at Jakob. “Yeah. Hope it doesn’t make you uncomfortable.”
Jakob shook his head and chuckled. “If it did, I wouldn’t have come to this town.”
Once Jakob went back to watching television, Sammy questioned Leo with a look. Leo shrugged and pulled Sammy to his side, wrapping his arm around him.
Leo leant down and whispered in Sammy’s ear. “Been doing some thinking. I talked to George again, and he doesn’t seem to have a problem with the two of us being out as a couple at work.”
“Cool,” Sammy said, brushing his lips over Leo’s. He settled against the man he was seriously falling for and pretended to watch television. His thoughts were all over the place, wondering why the sudden change in Leo’s attitude.
Leo had spent quite a bit of time over the last week with either Neil or Butch while Sammy tried to keep Zac’s spirits up. He wondered which of Leo’s new friends he had to thank for his lover’s about face.
He rested his hand on Leo’s thigh, perfectly content with his life at the moment. “Oh, the printer is bringing by the banners they agreed to donate. They’re supposed to be here any time, so we can get them up. I thought we’d put one at the park entrance, one at the actual location and one in front of city hall since most people drive by it.”
Leo kissed the top of Sammy’s head. “Sounds good, babe. Thanks for getting them to do that.”