by Smith,T. M.
He was vaguely aware of his body being lifted, strong arms holding him close and a hand gently brushing over his head, followed by a press of warm lips on his cheek. Just the soft touch of Dusty’s hand calmed him, made him feel safe as he started to drift off again. A voice in the background jarred him. “Yeah, Tris, it’s Dusty. Get your ass over here now.” He was laid on something soft, a blanket pulled up over him and then, finally, blissful silence caressed his skin.
Chapter 7 | Doing the Right Thing
Dusty jerked the door open, grabbing Tristan by the arm and pulling him into the apartment. He slammed the door and turned the lock, leading Tristan toward his room. “Took you long enough, he’s in my room, this way.”
“Wait.” Tristan reached for him, his hand on Dusty’s shoulder. “Tell me what happened first.”
“He remembered.”
“Remembered what, exactly?” Tristan asked.
Dusty inhaled a deep, ragged breath. “Everything,” he muttered.
David was leaning against the headboard, knees pulled up to his chest. His head jerked around when the door opened, eyes wild until he saw Dusty. He reached for him, melting into Dusty’s side as soon as he sat down next to him. Tristan carefully approached the bed, sitting at the foot and quietly waiting for David to calm before speaking. “Shhhhh, it’s okay,” Dusty cooed.
“Do you want to tell us what happened, David?” Tristan asked.
“He wanted to kill me.” David spoke quite clearly for someone as shaken up as he was.
“Who wanted to kill you?” Tristan asked, rolling his eyes at Dusty when he glared at him.
“My brother, Dale, he probably thought I was dead when he left. And then he went back to the bar and killed those people.” David looked at Tristan, eyes awash with unshed tears. “He shot your brother Tristan, and yet, here you are worrying about me. I don’t understand why you don’t hate me, either of you, when you both have every right to.”
“David, you know you aren’t to blame for any of that, right?” Tristan asked calmly.
Either David didn’t hear or ignored him; he had other questions that needed to be answered. “Where’s my mother?”
Dusty looked to Tristan before answering, silently asking whether he should or not. Tristan nodded. “She never came, D. The nurse called her and she told her she no longer had a son, and she never came.”
“Well, I guess that’s it then. I’m all alone, I don’t have anyone anymore.” David’s voice broke, his body deflated.
“Hey,” Dusty spoke softly, lifting David’s face so he could look him in the eyes before he spoke again. “You’ve got me D, and Tristan.”
“David, I need you to listen to me right now okay?” Tristan’s tone was soft, but commanding, drawing David’s attention away from Dusty. “Dale Thompson went to the bar that night with ill intentions, not you. Dale pulled that trigger, killed those people, not you. He was your brother and he should have protected you, instead, he tried to kill you too. Hate is a very strong emotion David; it has the power to tear people apart. Don’t let your brother’s hate tear you apart, okay?” All Tristan got in response was a jerky head nod.
It wasn’t long before David was softly snoring in Dusty’s arms again. He gently lay him down on the mattress and covered him with the sheet before walking Tristan to the door. “He’ll zone in and out like that for a while so don’t be alarmed if he simply dozes off in the middle of a conversation. Much like his body had to heal from the injuries, his psyche has to heal as well. If he gets combative or starts acting erratically, call me immediately.”
“Okay. Sorry I dragged you out of bed in the middle of the night. I was worried when he woke up and freaked out on me.” Dusty apologized again.
Tristan waved him off. “Nonsense, call me anytime you need to, Dusty. In light of the evening’s events, I’d like to meet with David…” Tristan looked at his watch; it was after midnight. “…later on today. Call my secretary in the morning and make an appointment. I’ll be sure to email her when I get home and tell her to expect your call.”
Dusty nodded, waiting in the hall until the elevator doors closed before turning and heading back into the apartment. Closing and locking the door once again, he turned the lights off and headed back to his room. Sleep didn’t come easy for him, despite the fact that he was exhausted. Eventually he drifted off, waking when the morning sun peeked in around the edges of the curtains. Blinking his eyes open, Dusty smiled up at the blond-haired man stretched out beside him, propped up on an elbow, obviously watching Dusty sleep.
“Morning, feeling better?” he asked. David nodded shyly. He stared at Dusty for a moment that seemed to stretch on and on before leaning down and gently kissing Dusty on the lips.
Just a soft press of lips and David was pulling away, hovering mere inches above Dusty. His gut reaction was to push David away, to tell him they shouldn’t be doing this. His heart though, was racing, all but demanding another kiss.
“What are you thinking right now, D?” Dusty asked to buy himself some time to regain his composure. He prayed David didn’t hear the hitch in his voice when he spoke.
David stared down at him for so long, he wasn’t certain he’d be getting an answer. He cleared his throat and ran his tongue over his lips, probably to moisten them but it drove Dusty crazy nonetheless. It took every ounce of self-restraint Dusty possessed not to reach up and grab David by the neck, roll them over and settle his body over him and take his lips with a demanding kiss.
“I…I want to kiss you, to…be with you,” David whispered, uncertainty clouding his words.
Dusty sat up, grasping David’s hands in his and squeezing them. “Look at me D.” He whispered, but David continued to avoid his gaze. Slowly, he reached up and lifted David’s head by his chin, running his hand over his cheek and resting it on his shoulder before speaking. “Why do you want to be with me, D?” Dusty asked. David shrugged, glancing away again.
“D, you have to tell me what you’re thinking right now. I’m not upset you kissed me. Truth be told, I liked it.” The blush that crept up David’s neck and over his cheeks was probably one of the sexiest things Dusty had ever seen. The young man in his bed was beautiful and sexy, but he was also naïve and inexperienced. With the events of the past twenty-four hours, David had to be still reeling over it all. Dusty had to tread lightly and be certain that David was acting on his attraction to Dusty for the right reasons.
A slow smile spread over David’s face as he leaned toward Dusty, presumably to kiss him again, but Dusty stopped him. Oh… goddamn! Dusty thought when David’s entire body flushed crimson. When he moved to stand, Dusty reached for his arm, gently tugging David close once again. “Stop D, I’m not telling you no, I just need to know what you’re thinking. Please, talk to me,” Dusty begged.
David tried to avert his gaze again, his eyes darting around the room, but Dusty wasn’t having it. He held David’s face in his hands, searching his eyes. “You’re safe here D, you can tell me anything and I’ll never hurt you, at least not intentionally.” Another jerky head nod was his only response. “All right, now tell me, why do you want to be with me?”
“Because you’re beautiful and nice and you’re my friend and…I feel…I feel safe with you, D. But more than that, I feel butterflies in my stomach anytime I’m near you, I have since the first time I woke up in the hospital and saw you.” David smiled at him before averting his gaze again.
This time, when Dusty turned his face he leaned into him and kissed David softly on the lips. Pulling back, Dusty couldn’t help but chuckle. Eyes closed, cheeks flushed, lips delectable, David was the picture of innocence and trust. Dusty knew he needed to be extremely cautious; the last thing he wanted to do was cause the blue-eyed blond in his arms one more second of pain. But fuck it all, he wanted David more than he could remember wanting anyone else in a very long time.
“Look at me D.” Dusty spoke softly, waiting for David’s eyes to flutter open. “How about we exp
lore this mutual attraction…” before Dusty could finish the sentence David threw himself at him, almost knocking him over and off the side of the bed. Dusty laughed, “Whoa.”
David sat back on his heels, grinning like a maniac. “Will you kiss me, D?” he asked.
“Didn’t we just do that?” Dusty pointed at the pillow that still held the indentation from his head.
“No, I mean a real kiss,” David begged.
Dusty’s eyes drifted down to those full, red lips that were currently being assaulted by David’s teeth. He barely stifled the groan, instead concentrating on giving David what was likely his first real kiss. He lifted his hand to brush his fingers across David’s cheek, his thumb circling his lips, before pulling David to him. When David’s eyelids fluttered shut and he sighed, Dusty fought the urge to ravage his mouth, instead going for a slow, methodical kiss.
As soon as their lips met, David opened his mouth wide, his tongue snaking out in search of Dusty’s. Holding David at arm’s length, his hands on David’s shoulders, Dusty smiled. “Have you ever been kissed before, David?”
“Troy and I kissed a couple times and then you and I…we kissed, that one time in the hospital. But other than that…” David let the words hang in the air, shaking his head.
Holy shit, the guy was absolutely adorable. When he blushed, worried his bottom lip with his teeth and lowered his gaze, acting all shy and shit…Dusty wanted to eat him alive. He steeled himself, though. While David would probably gladly lie back and offer himself up to Dusty like a prize at the state fair, it would be the worst possible thing for Dusty to accept such an offer. David needed, no, he deserved to be cherished. And kissed, like a lot.
Lifting David’s chin, the moment their eyes met, Dusty gave him a lopsided grin. “Let’s pretend this is the first time. Forget everything you know about being kissed and simply enjoy it, let it happen on its own.” David’s brow furrowed and Dusty couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped.
“All right, close your eyes.” David complied. “Now, don’t think about it, don’t force it, just feel the kiss and follow your bodies lead. Gently…” Dusty brushed his lips across David’s once, twice. “…feel my lips and the way my body reacts to yours. Take it slow and enjoy every caress.”
Dusty had to coax David’s tongue out by running the tip of his over David’s bottom lip. This time it was a soft meeting, a gentle dance as their tongues twined together. David’s arms lifted and he wrapped them around Dusty’s neck, pulling his body closer as he tilted his head to one side to deepen the kiss. When Dusty pulled back David followed; eyes shut, face flushed, he panted. “That’s enough for now,” Dusty whispered, breathless, grasping at the tiny shred of self-control that remained.
David’s eyes flew open wide. “But…”
Dusty shook his head. “Slow and steady D, slow and steady wins the race.” Just then he had a thought. “What ever happened to your boyfriend, D? The one you left the bar with that night?”
David shrugged. “I have no idea and I don’t care.” Sitting up, he reached for Dusty, running his fingers through the wavy brown locks, enjoying the softness of Dusty’s hair and the way he sucked in his breath when David touched him. “He never came to see me, D. You were there, almost every day and you didn’t even know me. I don’t want someone like that in my life.” Leaning in, he kissed Dusty, but when he tried to deepen the kiss Dusty took him by the arms and gently pushed him away, shaking his head.
David plopped down onto his back on the bed, pouting. Dusty laughed, climbing off the bed and heading toward the shower. “Rise and shine D, I’m gonna shower then I’ll start some breakfast while you shower.” He could hear David bitching behind him, but he ignored him, intent on a nice cold shower to calm his…nerves.
Chapter 8 | Moving Right Along
David’s mind was a mess of jumbled thoughts and feelings, some of which confused him. Was he truly attracted to Dusty? Or was this some ingrained sense of owing the sexy guy—who was currently naked and wet and merely a few feet away—something in return for all his kindness? Just the thought of Dusty naked had David growing hard. “Well, I guess that answers that question.” He mumbled, sitting up and climbing out of the bed. He busied himself with picking up the dirty clothes on the floor and tossing them in the basket in the corner, then made the bed while he patiently waited for Dusty to finish his shower.
He hadn’t been lying when he told Dusty that he felt drawn to him from the start. Who the hell wouldn’t though, seriously? At roughly six feet tall with unruly, wavy brown hair, big brown eyes and a constant dusting of hair on his neck and chin…Dusty was very attractive. He was thick, like a linebacker, and his Texas roots were evident as soon as he opened his mouth. Once or twice he’d worn a button-up or V-neck shirt and David had been given a glimpse of the hair that covered his broad chest and on those occasions, David’s head was screaming for him to run his fingers through the hair.
It wasn’t only the looks, though. Dusty was quite possibly the most genuinely nice person that David had ever met. He was smart and funny and though he had friends, a job and a life, he was content to spend time with David. No one had ever sat quietly, patiently and listened to David, ever. His mother and brother were too busy telling him how he should live his life to listen to him at all, much less him telling them what he wanted. Hell, he could still remember the day he got the letter in the mail that he’d been accepted to NYU’s Arts program. “Don’t you want to learn a real skill, Davie?” His mom had asked. “Art is for girls, pansies and fags David, which one are you?” His brother had snarled.
For a brief moment, David actually thanked God that his brother was dead and his mother long gone. Dropping down onto the bed, he hung his head and sighed, letting the tears fall freely. Despite everything they’d done to him, they were still his family, the only family he had. And now he was all alone without so much as two nickels to rub together. Lost in thought, David didn’t hear Dusty come back into the room. He jumped back and shrieked when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Whoa, hey, it’s just me, D.” Dusty fell to his knees beside the bed and rubbed his hands up and down David’s arms, trying to calm him. “Want to talk about it?” David shook his head, rubbing his hands over his eyes to brush away the tears.
Dusty moved up onto the bed, pulling David close and hugging him, whispering calming words. Eventually, David stopped crying and lifted his head, meeting Dusty’s worried glare. Shaking his head, Dusty sighed. “Jesus, I want to kiss you right now.”
“No one’s stopping you,” David responded.
“I don’t want the lines between me being the protector and us being something more than friends to blur, D. You’re hurting and whether you agree with me or not, kissing you right now would be taking advantage of the situation, and I won’t do that.” Dusty kissed the top of his head before pulling away and standing to walk over to his dresser.
David sighed and fought the urge to pout. He knew what Dusty was saying was right, but it didn’t stop him from wanting Dusty to kiss him regardless. The dresser drawer closing drew his attention to Dusty and he almost swallowed his tongue. Dusty lifted one leg then the other, stepping into a pair of black boxers before pulling the towel off and using it to dry his still dripping hair. David watched a bead of water trail down Dusty’s back, disappearing beneath the elastic waist of the boxers. Oh. My. Fucking. God. David silently drooled.
His head jerked up when Dusty cleared his throat. He could feel the heat creeping up his neck and enveloping his cheeks, embarrassed about being caught openly ogling Dusty’s backside. “I’m gonna go start some coffee and breakfast; you need to shower. I left a trash bag on the sink for you to wrap your leg, do you need my help?” Dusty asked, still grinning. David shook his head. “All right, I’ll bring you some clean clothes once I get everything started so leave the door unlocked.” And with that, Dusty left the room.
David gave himself a few moments to regain his composure before standing and mak
ing his way toward the bathroom. Walking was a slow process with his leg still in a cast, but he was determined to get around on his own. He started the water so it could warm while he wrapped his casted leg with the trash bag. He went through the motions of washing his hair and then his body, before leaning against the wall and letting the water rain down on him, easing some of the tension in his shoulders and neck.
There was a soft knock before the door creaked open and Dusty’s voice penetrated his senses. “I’m laying some clean clothes out on the counter for you, D. Do you need any help with anything while I’m here?” he asked.
“No, thank you,” David answered.
“Okay. Well, food’s almost ready so finish up and get dressed before it gets cold.” The snick of the door closing let David know he was alone in the bathroom and he shut off the water.
He dried his upper body and sat on the closed toilet seat to remove the bag and dry his lower body. He thought about the easiest way to get dressed in his condition without having to ask Dusty for help and decided to pull the T-shirt on and at least get the boxers and shorts over his calves before standing so he could pull them the rest of the way up. “Wow, that was easier than I thought it’d be,” he murmured, feeling quite proud of himself.