by Susan Laine
“She does?” Jimmy whistled low. “What’s the old big sister up to these days?”
“She married a Naval officer and moved to Pensacola. She’s a nurse working at a hospital there, in maternity services, offering prenatal care. Oh, and she’s expecting.”
Toby secretly grinned at Jimmy’s shock, his eyes wide as saucers and his jaw practically dropping to the floor. “Wh-what? When the fuck did all that happen? Molly’s married and having a baby? In fucking Pensacola?” He grimaced in sympathy. “That shit must’ve sent your dad through the roof.”
“Yeah. Molly eloping with a Navy guy, becoming a nurse of all things—”
“What’s your dad got against nurses?” Jimmy cut in, visibly angry.
“He raised her to be a soldier, same as me. Choosing babies and life over guns and death… that wasn’t the proper course of action for Molly, not according to Dad.” Toby sighed. He wished he could’ve been closer to his father, but the man had the empathy of a fascist—nonexistent. Toby wished he’d had a better parent. “I was happy for her. It was brave of her to go her own way against our dad’s expectations.”
“She always had the biggest balls,” Jimmy commented in awe. “When I was, like, thirteen or fourteen, I thought she was hot.”
“Eww.” Toby cringed. “Please stop there.”
Jimmy chuckled. “As you wish. Things have changed since then anyway.” He glanced out the window at the midmorning sky, which had darkened as clouds gathered. It’d probably rain soon, Toby surmised. “My dad doesn’t know either. Can you imagine that scenario?”
“Worst case, sure,” Toby agreed and chuckled. “The only thing our dads ever agreed on was that they despise each other as much as our choices to defy them.”
Jimmy nodded with a grin. “Yup. Remember that awkward luncheon my dad arranged that spring, like, six or seven years ago? That garden party with all his favorite toadies in attendance.”
Toby snorted. “Yes, and then there was my dad who stood there, ramrod straight, like he’d swallowed a steel bar, and scowled at everybody the entire time. He always disapproved of waste of money and frivolities.”
Jimmy exhaled. “My dad still thinks your dad has a stick up his ass. After all, he’s all for a leisurely lifestyle, riches earned and spent, class bought and sold. He likes to flaunt his wealth and connections. He never went to the Army or Navy, so….”
Toby shook his head. “I wish Dad were more accepting of things outside his small corner of the world and his narrow way of seeing things.”
Jimmy scoffed. “I wish my dad would lose all his money and properties so he’d have to see how the other half lived. He wouldn’t a last a day. He complains about everything, whining and making fun of people who aren’t as rich as he is. His voters don’t know that about him, but I do.”
A bolt of lightning flashed across the overcast sky. A deep crackle of thunder followed.
“The storm’s above us,” Toby murmured, leaning forward and peering up at the dark blue, gloomy clouds. “It’s as dark as it is at night, and it’s not even noon yet.”
“Actually, it’s past one,” Jimmy interjected irreverently. “You hungry?”
“There’s snacks on the back seat,” Toby replied, pointing a thumb over his shoulder.
For a while they munched on unhealthy morsels of salty and sugary goodness, with Jimmy serving Toby, who drove on. They didn’t talk much, but the ambience remained companionable. The change inside the car pleased Toby, who’d worried the complicated subject would send them into a descending spiral, weighing them down with the emotional baggage they both carried.
Eventually they stopped for a meal—spring rolls, dumplings, and duck kung pao in a Chinese restaurant—opting to stay for the duration instead of requesting takeaway. The storm kept going full force. Plus, they needed a rest, their minds as well as their bodies.
In fact, Toby’s vision blurred on occasion. He figured staring out at the road for too many hours was the cause. The colorful dishes, oriental interiors, and lively chatter made him feel better, a break from the monotony of the highway.
hey idled over their late lunch/early dinner, talking about the past, the good times they’d had in spite of their familial circumstances, the pranks and the dares, the adventures and challenges. Whether it was movies or music, books or hobbies, they discussed every topic with ease. It was as if they’d picked up exactly where they’d left off in high school and settled back into the comfortable, familiar groove of friendship.
After they’d cleaned up, paid, and returned to the car, the storm had reduced to a drizzle, and the sky was slowly clearing.
Toby studied Jimmy’s bag, which hung over his shoulder by a strap. He decided to needle his buddy. “I’ve been meaning to ask… is that one of them man-purses?”
Jimmy glared and growled. “I’ll have you know this is a lawyer’s satchel. It’s a man’s bag, not some fucking feminine purse.”
Toby chuckled. “If you say so.”
“Oh, up yours.” Jimmy flipped him off.
As Jimmy hurried past Toby to hop inside the car, this time on the driver’s seat, Toby felt a rush of heat go through him. The idea of sex between him and Jimmy appealed to him more than he cared to admit. Perhaps his reticence was because they’d been such close friends, and recent events proved that they could regain that friendship if they so chose. Sex would complicate things.
Wouldn’t it?
Chapter 9
THE REST of the day, some good nine or so hours in total, went by fast. The car drove like a dream, even if it was the product of a nightmare, and the last remnants of the storm blew past. By six in the evening, sunshine alleviated the boredom of the highway.
Jimmy felt upbeat and hopeful. In fact, he couldn’t remember feeling this good for over a year. Toby lifted his mood and his spirits—and certain body parts. That worried him slightly but not enough to tell his friend to take a hike.
It felt as if they’d made a time jump back to the day they’d parted ways and resumed their relationship without a hitch. Talking with Toby was effortless, opening up was relatively uncomplicated, and simply spending time with him made Jimmy happy. Friend-happy, yes, but beyond that too.
Power lines and trees lined the sides of the road. When the sun went down, darkness swept over the highway. Bright lights of oncoming traffic mixed with red taillights ahead of them, like beacons in the night. Jimmy remembered driving at night back home when he was a teenager. His granddad’s old pickup truck always smelled of fresh rain and oil. His father had hated that wreck on four wheels.
Tonight’s experience was surreal. Time blurred at the edges around him, and space disappeared into darkness. Jimmy felt apart from everything. All that existed was the road, the car, and Toby.
“We should find a place to crash for the night, man, and I’m not referring to the bushes by the side of the road,” Toby remarked dryly and stifled a yawn.
Jimmy blinked, feeling weary to the bone as well. His legs and arms were stiff and hurt a bit. “Yeah. One crappy roadside motel coming up.”
Half an hour later they’d found an exit with a decent motel, parked the car, rented a small room for their second night together, and made their way inside with their stuff.
“Oh. Green decor this time,” Toby commented, scrunching his nose in distaste.
“I like green,” Jimmy said offhandedly as he closed the door.
“Did you lock the car?” After Jimmy had nodded an affirmative, Toby snorted. “I swear, you seem like you don’t particularly mind if the ride gets stolen while we sleep.”
Jimmy gave him a knowing look, conveying the entirety of his hatred for said set of wheels, which existed as a constant reminder of Jimmy’s past sins. “My only regret would be that you’d have to find alternative transportation. Wherever the hell we are.”
“Stoughton, Wisconsin.” Toby chuckled as he shucked off his jacket and kicked his boots off. “You drove. Didn’t you even read the exit signs?”
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“Not really, to be honest. Started seeing double. Boring road. Too many damn roadworks toward the end there. Tired.” Jimmy face-planted on the bed, fully clothed, to make a point.
Toby shoved him on the back. “Don’t sleep like that. You’ll get too hot and stiff.” Then he went back to undressing. Jimmy tried not to watch, but he spied on the guy with one eye, the other pressed against the covers. Toby continued absentmindedly, “While you drove, I did a little search on my phone for sightseeing opportunities along I-90, since we seem to be taking it. There’s a beautiful state park right here in Stoughton. Beaches and woods. Picnics, fishing, hiking. Should we check it out tomorrow? Might be nice to take a break from driving for a while.”
Jimmy had no plans regarding this trip. He’d just wanted out of Boston and away from his life. The idea of traipsing along the sandy shores of a freshwater lake, enjoying sunshine and heat and perhaps resting under the cool shade of trees, well, it all sounded absolutely wonderful.
“Sure. Why not?” He flipped over onto his back, lying spread-eagle. “You taking a dip in the tub first?”
Toby gave him an odd look. “Not taking a bath in a motel, like, ever. Just a shower. Soap, rinse, and go. I’ll be quick.”
“Holler if you need me to wash your back—or anything else,” Jimmy quipped. Only after Toby dismissed the suggestion with a laugh and a closing door did Jimmy realize he’d been half-serious.
Releasing a long breath, Jimmy removed his glasses and wiped his hands across his face. He was exhausted. Yet he felt restless and uneasy, unable to relax. He sat up on the bed and stared at the bathroom door. The sounds of rushing water soon emerged, muffled by the door.
Was he really thinking about having sex with Toby? No, he couldn’t. He shouldn’t. Jimmy shook his head, angry at himself for his drifting imagination and wayward dick that had decided to pop up to play. Was he contemplating sexy scenarios with Toby simply because Jimmy had no one else on the horizon? Yes, that had to be it. Summertime horniness and too few hot guys around.
Perhaps the real question was would Toby mind the suggestion? Would he agree or object?
Jimmy stood and started to pace. They’d only just reconnected after five years and begun to patch up their friendship. This was not the time to bring in complications like sex. Even casual sex would confuse things too much.
Yet, there was… an attraction. A spark. Heat arcing between them. That couldn’t all have been in Jimmy’s imagination, could it? Jimmy worried his bottom lip. Couldn’t hurt to ask, right?
His feet led him to the bathroom door before his mind fully caught on. He brought his hand up to knock.
The door opened suddenly. Jimmy started. Toby yelped low and jumped back.
“Jesus, dude. You scared the shit out of me. What are you doing hovering behind the door like some horrible ax murderer? You reenacting Friday the 13th or something?”
Jimmy flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry. I, uh, need to piss. Badly.”
“Oh.” Toby’s face cleared, and a shy smile emerged. He stepped aside and waved politely. “Go ahead. I’m finished.” Like last night, the guy had on nothing but a towel around his hips, with another over his shoulder. He looked adorable.
Jimmy brushed past him into the bathroom, closed the door, and tried to refocus. As he took off his clothes and stepped into the shower, too late did he remember he’d been so busy with the lie that he’d forgotten his towel and clean underwear in the other room. Cursing at his carelessness, he wasted time with a leisurely shower, praying Toby would be asleep again by the time he walked out.
Opening the door a crack, Jimmy planned on tiptoeing his way to bed.
Instead, the second he peered out, he saw Toby sit on his bed, lean against the headboard, and fiddle with his iPhone. The somber notes of a trip-hop ballad floated through the air. Jimmy vaguely recognized the song, or at least the singer.
“Hey,” he called out from behind the door. Toby looked up, curious and waiting. “Is that Lana Del Rey?”
Toby smiled, an oddly rueful gesture. “Yes. ‘Summertime Sadness.’ Well, a dance remix by Kristijan Majic. It’s much better. The original song’s kind of gloomy and dull. But this version has a pretty nice beat to it. Makes the whole thing more optimistic, I think.”
Jimmy couldn’t remember the authentic rhythm, so he couldn’t say for sure which version was better. But the lyrics suggested dark aftermaths for love. Nonetheless, the pulsing tempo gave it a cheerier quality.
Since Toby’s gaze remained glued to the screen of his phone, Jimmy decided to sneak out. He dashed toward his bed—and tripped on the edge of the rug. Flailing uselessly, he went down, half on the bed, half on the floor. His body hated him.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” Toby asked, rising swiftly and coming to Jimmy’s aid.
Embarrassed beyond belief, Jimmy nodded, red-hot in the face. “Yeah, yeah, just clumsy is all. Shit.” His toes, knees, and elbows hurt. He’d landed on his knees on the floor, the rest of him on the bed. The bed was soft but not enough to prevent him from bruising himself. Plus, he was wet without a towel, dampening everything he touched.
“And here I thought I’d have to open either my tablet or the TV for a bedtime show,” Toby teased with a wide grin. He wore nothing but blue boxer briefs.
“Shut up.” Humiliated, Jimmy got back on his feet—remembering too late that he was still stark naked. He tried to yank the covers closer but the other end was stuck under the mattress by the headboard. He couldn’t pry it loose.
Toby chuckled. “Dude, we’ve been friends since kindergarten. I’ve seen your naked butt a lot.” His gaze swept over Jimmy’s bare backside, and he quirked an appreciative eyebrow. “Nice.”
It didn’t escape Jimmy’s notice that Toby still held him up with a hand on his waist.
“Okay, I’ll go and bury myself somewhere deep now,” Jimmy muttered, sullen. He wanted Toby to see him as sexy and self-confident, not as an awkward klutz.
Toby snickered low. “What’d you have in mind, man?”
He waggled his eyebrows, but it still took Jimmy a long moment to realize he was being flirted with, perhaps even seduced. He swallowed hard and felt his dick start to stiffen and fill up. Toby glanced down and grinned.
Jimmy stepped back. “What are you doing?”
Toby’s smile faltered a bit. “Oh. I thought that was obvious.”
“I can read signals, same as other gay men, but… you’re not actually hinting that you and I hook up?”
Toby licked his lips, his eyes narrowing. “Would that be so bad?”
Jimmy stopped to consider the notion. On one hand, they were old best friends who’d only just reestablished that bond. It’d be dangerous to play with that success story now. But on the other hand, they were both consenting adults and could separate their friendship from a fucking session. They weren’t kids anymore.
“So….” Jimmy had to know and understand the ground rules and ensure they would both adhere to them. “What you’re proposing is casual sex?” Toby blinked, as if unsure, but he nodded. Jimmy had a sneaky suspicion things were far from clear between them. But he liked Toby a lot and wanted him. His heart skipping a beat, he declared, “Okay.”
Toby’s grip on Jimmy’s waist tightened. Then he slid his hands lower to Jimmy’s hips and drew him closer. When their bulging erections touched, even through Toby’s underwear, Jimmy knew they had crossed an invisible line from friends to lovers.
Whether the end result would be good or bad remained to be decided.
Chapter 10
TOBY’S HEART beat so fast the sound deafened his ears. The bravado he’d felt had dissipated in the wake of Jimmy’s initial rejection. Now Toby wasn’t sure if they really should be doing this at all.
Then he grew transfixed by the scattering of freckles on Jimmy’s nose and cheeks. He longed to touch them, count them, kiss each and every one. He gulped, his desire on the rise.
“You have doubts?” Jimmy murmured,
his voice choked. “You’re the one who suggested we do this.”
“I did, and I do want this. I want you.” Toby managed to get the words out. Yet it was true that he had reservations. Jimmy was his friend again. Sex had a way of obfuscating things. Perhaps it was best to call it a night and—
Jimmy wrapped his hand around Toby’s nape and pulled him forward into a searing kiss. Toby gasped in shock at Jimmy’s enthusiasm. His lips parted, and his mouth was suddenly full of Jimmy’s eager and talented tongue. Jimmy tasted fresh and minty from toothpaste.
Toby pressed their bodies together tight. Jimmy made a hungry sound deep in his throat, and he deepened the kiss, making Toby’s knees go weak. Jimmy’s grip was strong and relentless, so Toby had no choice but to allow the sensual assault. Not that he wanted it to stop. He didn’t.
When they separated to draw breath, Jimmy stared at Toby with ravenous eyes, his pupils so wide they appeared pitch-black. Jimmy began to grind against Toby, his nakedness as hot and wet as his mouth crashing over Toby’s once again. Their tongues dueled and entangled.
Jimmy slid his hands underneath the waistband of Toby’s underwear and groped his round, firm buttocks with obvious gusto. Toby rutted against Jimmy’s hard, athletic body, letting his hands wander and fondle. His dick throbbed and leaked a few droplets already. It really had been too long since the last time he’d gotten laid.
Jimmy kissed his way across Toby’s jaw to his cheek and down to his neck, licking lines of wetness along the column and blowing gently on them. Toby shivered, his skin going goose bumpy. Jimmy sucked on Toby’s neck, undoubtedly leaving vivid red marks in his wake. Jimmy even bit Toby softly on the shoulder, though not hard enough to break skin.
Toby’s cock went from warm to blazing in an instant. He ached to be touched.
As if reading his mind, Jimmy wrapped a hand around Toby’s erection and stroked gently, the contact so infuriatingly light, fleeting, and slow that Toby growled in frustration.