A Restored Man

by Jaime Reese

  His mind wandered back to their trip to the track. He lowered his head and took a few deep breaths, then closed his eyes and tried to settle his heartbeat as he remembered the car spinning out of control. Before the panic had overtaken him, Cole had righted the car and was ready for that last turn. At that moment when he saw Cole walk out of the car, he knew without a second of hesitation that he had completely, totally fallen in love with Cole. The thought of losing him had been unbearable.

  The knock at the door snapped him out of the memory. "Come in," he said, straightening in his seat.

  Jeff entered his office and closed the door behind him.

  "What's up?" Ty asked, a hint of concern in his tone.

  Jeff pulled out the chair across from Ty's desk. "How's it going with Cole's pit crew?"

  Ty smiled. "Great. I can't believe how far along we are. If everything follows Cole's plan, we should be wrapping everything up in less than four weeks."

  Jeff crossed his leg and leaned back in the chair. "I'm glad to see he got you to crack and finally let someone help you."

  Ty stacked the files on the corner of his desk. "He's rather persistent." And hot, and sexy, and funny…

  "Uh huh."

  Ty looked up and rested his elbows on his desk. "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "Looks fade. Well, not in my case—"

  Ty grinned. "I see he's rubbed off on you."

  "He's got you smiling too. I missed seeing that around here. He was a good addition to the shop," Jeff said. He looked away and ran his shoelace through his fingers.

  Ty felt a warmth comfort him he had only experienced when his father was with him. "Why didn't you ever settle down? You would have made a great father."

  Jeff looked back at Ty, his expression softer than it had been only moments before. "I never found the right lady to settle down with. Besides, the Calloways have always been my family. Your dad was like a brother to me and you…" He rose from his seat and slowly paced the room. "You're like a son to me."

  "I know," Ty said.

  The older man took a deep breath and squared his shoulders before turning to look at Ty again. "You're as stubborn as your father. Next time, accept my offer for help," he said, in a reprimanding yet gentle tone.

  Ty chuckled. "Yes, sir." He rose from his seat and walked over to Jeff, wrapping his arms around the older man. "I know it's been tough for a while here. Thanks for hanging in there," he said, patting him on the back before taking a step back.

  Jeff walked over to the credenza at the side of the office and picked up a photo of Ty with Aidan and their father. He smiled and chuckled to himself as if remembering a thought before returning the photo to its spot. He took a few steps as if pacing the room. "Cole…that boy might seem crazy, but he's not."

  "No, he's not," Ty said, watching the range of emotions play across the older man's face.

  Jeff turned to look at Ty with a deathly serious expression. "Look inside that kid. Don't focus on what's on the outside or how kooky he might seem. That boy is special."

  Ty nodded. "That he is." In more ways than he was ready to confide.

  Jeff looked away as if gathering his thoughts. "He might claim to know it, but deep down, I don't think he really believes it."

  Ty cocked his head, not really sure what direction the conversation was headed.

  The older man paced the room a few steps then headed toward the door. "Make sure he knows how special he is. I think he needs to hear that." He grabbed the doorknob and hesitated. "Especially from you." He looked at Ty again. "I missed seeing you smiling and happy. I'm glad to have you back."

  Ty watched the older man exit his office. He returned to his desk to wrap up the list of parts needed for the next week before his temporary-boss-with-the-striking-mismatched-eyes realized he was straying from the strict schedule. He couldn't hide the grin that lingered while he thought of Cole and their upcoming weekend.

  Cole was special. He knew that the first night they had met.

  Another knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," he said while printing out the last of the parts list for Stacie to order.

  "My-Ty, you can't escape me by hiding in your office," Cole said, closing the door behind him.

  Ty loved that silly nickname, far better than the ridiculously long pet name Cole kept adding words to. He had somehow become Mr. Sexy Twisted Spider Monkey Metal Man Candy Bar eating Torture Teaser…plus a whole other string of words Ty couldn't remember. How the hell Cole could recall the string of words was beyond him. But "My-Ty" seemed to hit all the right buttons. Maybe it was the possessiveness of the name or simply the way Cole drawlingly said the words. Ty didn't know. He was a certified pile of mush whenever Cole said it.

  "I wasn't escaping," Ty said, looking up from the computer screen. "I was getting the parts list together for next week's tickets for your crew."

  Cole nodded and walked over to Ty's desk, casually sitting at the corner. He suddenly quieted and pursed his lips as he picked at a string on his pants.

  Ty watched him and couldn't stand the silence. "You know you make me nervous when you're that quiet."

  Cole glanced up, his expression guarded. "Are we…um…doing the weekend thing again?"

  Ty scowled. "You don't want to? I thought—"

  "You didn't sign the form I left on your desk. Matt can't approve the pass unless he has it," Cole said, looking away, tugging at his beanie.

  Ty rose from his seat and stood between Cole's legs. "Of course I want to spend the weekend with you. It's all I've been thinking about."

  Cole reached out and gripped Ty's waist with a hint of a smile in his expression.

  "I didn't realize you left a form on my desk. I would have signed that thing the second I saw it."

  "So you've got the list of parts ready for Stacie?' Cole asked, tugging Ty closer.

  "Yeah, I just printed it out. Now I need to find that form so you can take it back with you today. I'm not missing our weekend."

  "I saw Jeff walk out of here and he gave me a weird look. I didn't piss him off or anything, did I? I think he misses me," Cole said with a muffled chuckle. "I left it on your desk because Stacie doesn't know about me so I couldn't give it to her to make sure you signed it. I have another form in my locker if you can't find it."

  Ty reached out and rubbed his thumb along Cole's cheek. "You've got a lot of conversations going on at the same time in that head of yours." He knew Cole did this when he was unsure about something.

  Cole shrugged. Something else he seemed to do when he didn't have control over the situation. Ty wanted to meet every son of a bitch Cole had encountered in his life who helped plant that seed of hesitation in him. Cole had a fire that burned bright when he was confident and in control.

  "Keeping all that stuff straight in your head is a mark of brilliance," Ty teased.

  Cole chuckled and patted Ty's ass. "If that makes me look hotter to you, then okay, I'm fucking brilliant."

  Ty leaned in and brushed his lips against Cole's.

  "I didn't lock the door," Cole said with a groan, digging his fingers into Ty's waist.

  "I don't care. You're mine, and if someone walks in, they can enjoy the show."

  Ty pushed his mouth against Cole's, needing to taste those full lips he craved. He wrapped an arm around Cole's waist and pulled him closer while he reached out with his other hand to guide Cole into the kiss. He groaned when Cole's body brushed against his, reminding him of the heat between their sweat-slicked bodies during their lovemaking. Cole licked Ty's lips then ran the tip of his tongue teasingly alongside his, luring him in with a promise for more. Ty's pulse escalated and his heartbeat echoed in his ears as strong legs wrapped around him, pulling him flush against Cole's warm, hard body.

  Cole pulled away from the kiss, gasping for air. "We shouldn't start something we can't finish. I'm going to add Ballsy to your pet name," he said with a shaky, raspy voice, tightening his grip on Ty's waist.

  Ty bit his
lower lip. "It's becoming a really long pet name." He peppered kisses along Cole's neck and jaw.

  "You keep surprising me." Cole stretched his neck, silently begging Ty to continue. "I like that."

  "The surprising part or the kisses?" Ty asked, dipping his head at the crook of Cole's neck to plant an open-mouth kiss. "I like My-Ty better."

  "Anything you fucking want, just don't stop doing that," Cole said, moaning as his hands twisted in the material at Ty's waist.

  Ty's heart pounded furiously. He gripped the back of Cole's head and cursed the damn knit material in his way as he pulled Cole to him for a kiss. Cole ran a hand down to Ty's ass, pulling him closer, and the other up his back to grip his hair tightly. Ty moaned under the assault and melted into Cole's hold, savoring the need he felt with each lick and suck.

  Ty's radio chirped and an animalistic sound emerged from Cole. "I swear, on everything that is sacred and holy in this world, I am going to take that radio and that little woman and—"

  Ty quieted him with a kiss. "She's doing her job and she's doing it well. We're the ones violating one of your Three F Rules right now."

  Cole scowled. "I hate it when I'm horny and you have a valid point to make me stop." He slid off the edge of the desk and winced as he adjusted himself before walking toward the door.

  "Don't leave today without the signed form," Ty said.

  Cole looked over his shoulder, the scowl gradually replaced with a smile. "Okay, My-Ty," he said before leaving the office.

  Ty responded to Stacie's radio call then madly sifted through the papers on his desk in search of Cole's form.

  Yeah, he was Cole's, and he was damn happy about it.

  Ty reached over and was greeted by an empty, cooling pillow. He turned in the bed, pulling the sheets up to his face, hoping to steal a few more seconds of sleep. He inhaled the always-welcome scent that accompanied the warmth of the sheets and sighed. Cole.

  Resigned, he pulled the sheet back down moments later and raised his nose in the air, inhaling the smell of breakfast wafting from the kitchen. He sighed longingly. He loved all the things Cole did to take care of him. He sat up in bed and reached for his sleep pants. He stretched, and for the first time in a long time, his muscles didn't ache. He could easily attribute it to the best physical therapy he'd ever thought was possible during recovery. Cole took his time with every millimeter of Ty's body, during sex and every massage and rub that followed. He clasped both hands and raised them above his head, holding the pose for ten seconds then releasing. No discomfort, no pain, no tightness. He stood and bent to touch his toes, again holding the pose for ten seconds to stretch, then release. He straightened with a smile. That actually felt good. He repeated a few more stretches then finally grabbed a T-shirt and walked into the kitchen. A view of Cole shaking his bare ass and humming as he cooked greeted him. Ty bit his lip and held back a smile, trying to make out the tune Cole bobbed his head to.

  Cole turned and gave Ty a million-watt smile. "Good morning, sunshine."

  Ty couldn't control the burst of laughter. "What the hell are you wearing?"

  Cole looked down at his white apron and raised his hands, palms up. "What? My brother gave it to me."

  Ty shook his head and chuckled. He didn't know what was funnier, seeing Cole bare-assed, cooking, or the apron that read "Kiss the Cook" with the second "o" crossed out with a "c" printed above it.

  "I have to protect my sexy bits. I can't risk having anything singe me." Cole lowered his brow and crossed his arms. "What are you wearing?"

  Ty straightened. "What do you mean?" He looked down and stared at his sleep pants and T-shirt. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

  Cole stalked over to Ty and pulled the shirt over and off his head. "There, now you're better."

  Ty's hands immediately went to cover his torso.

  Cole grabbed his hands to stop him. "I've told you a million times already, I don't care about the scars. I don't want you wearing a shirt on weekends when it's just us here."

  Ty looked away. He hated being self-conscious about his appearance.

  Cole grabbed his chin and turned his face, forcing eye contact.

  "What if I'm cold?" Lame excuse, but at this point, he was reaching for anything that would justify him covering up without having to deal with the Renzo wrath.

  "Then I'll keep you warm. Stop trying to come up with bullshit excuses." Cole reached up and delivered a kiss before releasing Ty's chin. He turned and walked back to the stove to resume his cooking. He looked over his shoulder with a scowl. "Cold? Seriously? You're more creative than that."

  Ty shrugged. He wrapped his arms around his midsection and turned away but quickly turned around again when he remembered that would just give Cole a better view of the scar running along his spine. Cole occasionally glanced over his shoulder as he cooked but didn't say another word. Ty finally caved and sat on one of the barstools at the kitchen island. He crossed his arms on the counter and lowered his head onto his arms. He was pouting but he didn't care. He tried to focus on the perfectly shaped bare ass that moved back and forth in front of him with a teasing sway.

  Cole turned off the burners and emptied the pans full of food onto two plates. He then walked around the kitchen counter to sit next to Ty.

  Ty closed his eyes when strong arms wrapped around his waist. "I want you to be comfortable around me."

  "I'd be more comfortable if I had a shirt on," Ty grumbled with a hint of a whine.

  Cole rested his chin on Ty's shoulder. "No. That's you hiding in your shirt. I don't expect you to run shirtless outdoors or run to the beach the first chance you get, but here…in your house, with me, I want you to feel comfortable in your own skin. I want you to feel good enough about being with me to not wear that damn shirt when we're here alone."

  "I do feel good around you." Ty turned his head and placed a kiss on Cole's lips.

  "Then don't hide from me." Cole grabbed Ty's T-shirt and placed it on the barstool before planting his bare ass on the shirt to sit on the seat next to him.

  A hint of a smile tugged at Ty's lips, clearly receiving the message of how Cole felt about the T-shirt. He grabbed the fork and broke off a piece of the omelet, enjoying the burst of flavors that danced across his taste buds. "This is really good," he said.

  "It's my brother's recipe. He just makes his dishes look prettier than mine."

  Ty scooped some of the cheese oozing out of the omelet onto his next bite. "You know, if you want to invite your family over for dinner, I'm fine with that."

  Cole looked up from his dish. "Really?"

  Ty nodded. "Now that you're here on weekends, I know you're not spending as much time at your mom's or visiting with them. We don't have to have a party or anything like that, just see who can come over for dinner or we can visit one of them. Just to stay in touch."

  "I'd love to have Carmen and Gus over. And I can probably convince Gus to cook," Cole said, waggling his eyebrows.

  "On one condition," Ty said, finishing his breakfast.

  Cole looked up from his plate as he chewed his last bite.

  Ty stood and walked over to rinse his dish in the sink. He turned and crossed his arms low, then uncrossed them when he realized he was trying to hide his torso. "I get to wear my shirt," he mumbled.

  A wicked grin spread across Cole's face. "You can have your shirt on when my family is here or when anyone else is here. But I'd be happy with you swinging your dick and shaking your bare ass all day long if it's just the two of us. Saves me the time of having to strip you."

  Ty chuckled. "Speaking of bare asses," he said, circling his finger in the air toward Cole. "That apron of yours, I kinda like it."

  Cole snorted a laugh. "Oh yeah? You want to come over here and 'kiss the cock'?"

  Ty walked around to Cole, suddenly feeling more confident. He leaned over Cole's seat, placing a hand on each side. "I want to do more than just kiss."

  Cole reached out and grabbed Ty by the waist, pulling him
closer. He leaned up and placed a trail of kisses along Ty's neck. "Anything you want."

  Ty pulled Cole by the hand and led them into the bedroom, thankful he actually did save some time by not having his shirt on.

  * * * * *

  Cole looked around the furniture store and didn't know where to begin. He saw a mix of rooms set up in various areas with random pieces inserted in between displays. For some reason, Ty felt the need to decorate rather than stay back at his place in bed. He looked over to Ty, sitting in a horrific, throne-like chair in one of the staged living rooms. "Tell me why we're here instead of in bed?"

  Ty looked over to him. "When you called your brother and sister, they jumped at the chance to come over next weekend, so I want to make sure we've got some place for them to sit. I'm not going to have them sitting on barstools all night and our bedroom is out of the question."

  A smile tugged at the corner of Cole's mouth. Our bedroom. He could definitely get used to that.

  "What do you think of this one?" Ty asked, stretching his arms over the chair's armrests.

  Cole scowled. The obvious flower pattern in bright colors accented by the thick copper-toned trimmings was hideous. "It looks like a bad fairy tale spin on my grandmother's old furniture."

  Ty looked to his sides at the staged room. He looked back up at Cole with a hint of a smile in his eyes. "I can totally see plastic seat coverings on this thing."

  A visible shiver traveled Cole's body. "Oh, hell no." He reached out and pulled Ty off the chair.

  Ty stood and held on to Cole's hands a few seconds longer than needed before releasing his hold. They walked alongside each other, passing each staged room and immediately discarding them. Cole wanted to reach out and grab Ty's hand but decided not to. Sure, they were outside the shop and away from the techs, but they were still in public and he wasn't quite sure how Ty would feel about that.

  "I kinda suck at this," Ty finally said. "I can customize a car but I don't have a clue how to decorate a room."