“I’m not sure who you think Dom is,” said Kiko, voice calm, “Especially considering you don’t keep up with him, but I’ve found him to be a very considerate, passionate person. He doesn’t give up or give in easily.”
Devin laughed.
“He’s single minded and obstinate, but great way to spin it. You really have a way with the word games. At first I was surprised.”
Dom pushed his empty glass forward and snagged one of the pinwheels off the plate Kiko ordered, making sure to take his time reaching across Devin’s space. He still couldn’t figure out how Kiko had learned to deal with this passive aggressive shit so calmly. He wanted to punch his brother someplace that would make him cry, really cry, like the time he’d kicked Devin out of a tree when he was seven. He wanted to bring up that time he kicked his brother out of a tree when he was seven.
“Of course you were,” said Dom instead, but Devin merely shrugged, took a drink.
“Surprised he wasn’t on government aid either.”
“Everything surprises you when it comes to people you think you’re better than,” said Dom. “But you know what? I’m not the one who got laid off.”
“Have you seen your life?” asked Devin. “Who you live with?”
“Oh, speaking of,” said Kiko, saving Dom from exploding at his brother. Why Kiko wanted them to come here he couldn’t figure out; it definitely wasn’t going well. “You need to back off from my sister, and especially the kids.”
“I haven’t done anything to them,” said Devin.
“No little needling comments? No glaring at the kids?”
Devin shrugged.
“If you’re going to have them, you should pay for them. And why is there no father in the picture? Kids deserve basics. A home. A dad. A stable family.”
* * * *
Kiko could tell Dom was about to snap. He wasn’t too pleased himself, but his reputation in Mount Angus had a lot to do with remaining cool and collected, so he forced himself to take a breath and interrupt Dom.
“You fuck—”
“Dom,” said Kiko, then, when Dom had shoved his fist past his brother’s face to grab a pinwheel, “Devin, if you’d bothered to ask about me or my family at all, you’d know Gabriela’s husband, Luke, is currently stationed. Both kids are theirs, after marriage—not that’s any of your business anyway—and they live in Milwaukee. She’s a freelance graphic designer. Nobody but them pays for anything. You’re bitter at us for nothing.”
“I can’t believe you’re letting him say this shit to your own brother,” said Devin, not bothering to respond to Kiko. Typical. Kiko was irritated with himself that he hadn’t listened to Dom when he insisted he didn’t want his brother to visit.
“What, the truth?” asked Dom, slightly calmer than he had been a few moments ago. “He’s right. Stop judging people you don’t know. And be nice to Gaby.” He paused. “And Kiko, too.”
Devin rolled his eyes and made a disgusted noise.
“Really? He seems like he can defend himself.”
“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve said about me,” said Kiko, wanting another beer but knowing he was driving back. He’d noticed Dom was already done with his third. He held off.
“Oh, I have lots more to say about you,” said Devin.
“Can’t you just shut up and drink?” asked Dom, glaring. “You don’t have to treat everyone like shit. Being drunk doesn’t even make you a better person, does it?”
Devin let out a kind of forced laugh. He turned to look at Dom and Kiko couldn’t see his expression, but the way Dom tensed worried him.
“You think I’m supposed to be happy about everything? I’m supposed to just roll over and let life fuck me? I should be celebrating an engagement over the holidays with family.”
“And instead you had to come deal with your evil brother and his boyfriend’s family, who all happen to be overly fucking considerate of offensive shits,” said Dom. “Life is just so hard for you.”
“You think I’m happy my little brother’s taking it up the ass from someone like him?”
Dom slammed his hands on the bar and stood so fast even Devin, drunk as he was, recoiled. Dom tensed, rage in his eyes, and for a moment Kiko was worried what he might do.
“Fuck you,” hissed Dom, then turned, grabbed his coat, and shrugged it on. He yanked open the door hard and stepped out into the winter darkness. When Kiko turned back it was to see that Devin was already into another beer. He didn’t want to stick around for whatever Devin might feel safe saying without Dom around to hear him, but he did want to give Dom a few minutes to cool down; what he didn’t want was a fight all the way home about how he should have listened.
He knew he should have listened.
He paid and noticed Dill at a display by the merchandise area, so he made his way over there. Dill was about Chad’s age, nineteen now, and had inherited the bar from his father. He did a better job running it than his father, too, really getting into the theme, and injecting pickles into everything. Dill pushed his long hair away from his glasses now, shifting some koozies to make room for a stack of jars.
“Is that the pickle bacon relish?”
“Yeah,” said Dill, straightening. “Want a jar of my genius?”
He grinned. Kiko took it anyway, thinking he could make some of those pinwheel appetizers for Christmas. Dom seemed to enjoy them. He paid and got a stamp on his card, then trudged outside after Dom, who was pacing around, hands out and bare in the cold by his side, the fingers fidgeting.
“I’m not stopping for cigarettes,” said Kiko, unlocking the truck. After a moment, Dom got in.
“I don’t need them,” he said, but he sounded irritated about it. He never spoke about when he used to smoke, so Kiko never asked.
“I picked up a jar of that bacon relish.”
There was a pause, and Kiko decided to take a long route back. Dom didn’t question when he made a different turn.
“Are we kicking him out?”
“No,” said Kiko, finding the spot by the side of the road he wanted and parking.
“You tossed Travis out.”
“Dom,” said Kiko, unbuckling his seat belt and leaning over, “I’m sorry. I should have listened to you.” He unbuckled Dom’s seat belt, too.
“How do you deal with it?” asked Dom, then, “What are you doing?”
“What do you think? You say it’s tradition, when we’re solving a mystery. And I think you could use a distraction.”
Dom leaned back as Kiko massaged him through his pants and then unzipped him. Kiko felt Dom’s hand in his hair, gentle, familiar, and it felt good. His heart pounded. It was hard not to get excited having a bit of fun at the side of the road, even if it was a deserted back road.
“You shouldn’t be comforting me,” said Dom as Kiko tugged out his hardening cock. Kiko understood what he was saying, but Dom’s guilt wasn’t going to change his brother in the least. “I should be making it up to you.”
“Don’t tell me what I should do,” said Kiko, and covered Dom’s mouth with his own.
* * * *
Dom was finding it difficult to stay angry. Frustrated was covered, definitely, and the blood beneath his skin still boiled, but Kiko was transforming it with his touch from the desire for murder to pure desire. It felt amazing. If Devin was a force that drained, Kiko was one that made Dom feel alive, and right now he was more than willing to set aside his rage.
Trading it in for sex was better.
He kissed back, demanding more, pulling Kiko to him by his hair. Kiko shifted in his seat to get a better angle, leaving Dom’s steadily stiffening cock to the rapidly chilling air of the truck. Kiko moved to unzip Dom’s coat next, his cold hand trailing up under Dom’s shirt to his nipple. Dom shuddered at the touch, nipple stiffening under Kiko’s demanding fingers, gasping against Kiko’s mouth.
“Get back here,” said Kiko when he shifted away some. He twisted Dom’s nipple harder, sending sensation shooti
ng along his body, and grabbed the back of Dom’s neck with his free hand. He was demanding enough to forget about all else.
Dom put his hand back in Kiko’s hair, pulled him closer as he grew even harder. He’d have to remember that Kiko initiated this time, tease him about it later.
“What are you smiling about?” asked Kiko, pulling back slightly.
“You started this,” said Dom, and yanked him back, hard enough that Kiko’s breath caught momentarily. In response he slid his hand down Dom’s front and grabbed his balls. Dom thrust up as Kiko’s hand passed over his erection, but the motion was ignored. He breathed out heavily through his nose, responded with tongue. If Kiko was going to tease…
He tried to maneuver his hands around to give back a little of what he was receiving but Kiko had him fairly well pinned. When his hand left Kiko’s hair Kiko tugged just hard enough on him to threaten disrupting his pleasure, so he returned to tugging and toying with it.
Dom began sweating under his coat despite the cold. Kiko was alternating between drawing out his kisses now, long and slow, biting his lip, then hard, deep. Dom thought he was being pulled apart, he wanted Kiko to wrap his hand around him so much it hurt, but he couldn’t pounce on him and force the sensations back on him.
So he grabbed himself with his free hand. Kiko grunted in displeasure and released Dom’s balls to push his arm away, finally setting his hand over Dom’s crotch. His touch was light, barely anything, but whenever Dom thrust he pulled back.
Dom held his head back and pulled away, staring smugly at Kiko, daring him. Kiko relented, running a thumb across the tip of Dom’s cock before taking hold of it properly. Dom exhaled, leaning back against the seat of the car to revel in the sensations. The moment he closed his eyes Kiko’s lips found his again. He sat back, responding to Kiko’s mouth as his cock responded to Kiko’s touch, his balls tightening. Kiko found the right rhythm and kept at it until it was nearly the last moment and Dom realized just how much of a mess this would be while fully clothed.
“Kiko,” he managed, pulling away slightly. Kiko immediately dipped down at what had to be an uncomfortable angle and took Dom into his mouth. There was no holding back at that—Dom groaned and came, stiff and trapped in the seat, Kiko sucking him dry.
He closed his eyes and savored the sensation as it dwindled, mouth open. That had been a good idea. He felt Kiko tucking him back in, zipping up his pants for him, then his mouth was on Dom’s again, and he’d saved enough of a taste that Dom suddenly had a mouth full of himself, of Kiko’s tongue.
“Was that adequate car sex?” asked Kiko when he pulled back, grinning. His tie was lopsided and his hair messed up. Dom wanted to see that smile transformed. He wanted to give back to Kiko exactly what he’d done to him.
He decided he’d do exactly that.
“Why don’t you decide?” he asked, and covered Kiko’s mouth with his own.
The reversal was fun, particularly teasing Kiko in return. Dom made sure to hesitate just a little longer than Kiko had on him, to draw it out just a little more. Kiko groaned and squirmed, slid his seat back for the extra room. Dom loosened his tie, hands gentle around Kiko’s throat, not wanting to bring back unpleasant memories. He had to unbutton Kiko’s shirt nearly all the way to reach his nipple, but Kiko made sure to keep their mouths engaged by tangling his hand in Dom’s hair.
Unlike Kiko, Dom spat in his hand before taking hold of Kiko’s shaft, rubbed his slick palm against the head. Kiko let out a groan that sounded absolutely amazing and Dom wished he could go again so soon to completely enjoy it. He toyed with Kiko’s balls.
“Warn me,” he said. Kiko nodded and tilted his head back as Dom had done, hand sliding up under his shirt to twist his own nipple.
Dom stroked him slowly at first, not letting him increase the pace. Kiko responded by kissing harder, but Dom only changed the pressure of his grip and the frequency of the strokes when he decided he wanted to. He could feel Kiko stiffening under him and pulled back slightly for the cue.
“Yes,” said Kiko, nearly inaudible, and Dom descended quickly to catch the results. At this angle, in this light, it was difficult to completely catch the expression on Kiko’s face, but his uneven breath was just as good, the little moan that only just preceded his release. Dom’s mouth filled with sweet warmth, and he switched over to a hand as he leaned up.
Kiko took Dom’s mouthful of his own come and shared it, still breathing heavily as Dom stroked out the last of the sensation, hand damp. Dom wished they could do this again, trading off on each other, all night, but far too soon Kiko’s hand was on his chest, pushing him back.
“Adequate car sex,” he said, sounding tired but happy.
* * * *
Chapter 12
The photo shoot went well. Katie covered the early morning so that Kiko only had to drop Mother by and then take off into Madison. Chad, constantly scrounging for hours now, was only too happy to get away from his mother and come in later in the morning. Kiko felt calm enough to really relax and enjoy himself. Yolks on You was in good hands.
As he drove back he thought again about another full time position. Really that would have been more ideal from the start; apart from Chad’s nervous need to put hours in over the winter break, the teen hadn’t normally gone over ten in a week. Kiko didn’t even want to count the hours he was normally at the store. Still, he wasn’t sure he could bring himself to hire another person and completely boot Chad out at the moment. He’d have to look at the numbers, too. Deciding to put that off until after Christmas was a relief.
“Hi, Chad,” he said when he got back. The teen was carrying a ladder over to the tall tree, presumably to get an ornament for the customer currently stationed at the counter. Katie was reading stories by Mother’s pen. Everything looked in order. Kiko liked days like this, that just ran smoothly, ironed out their own wrinkles.
We’re going to get the tree today, Gaby had sent when he checked the text in the bathroom.
Great. Ask Dom to dig out the ornaments from the garage when he gets home.
He exited to find Chad ringing up the customer, making awkward chitchat, but the woman didn’t seem to mind. She had bought nearly a dozen ornaments, and Kiko watched as she turned away before Chad called her back, waving the goose stamp.
“Excuse me,” said the teen. “You have a Twelve Days card?”
Kiko could not help but feel just a little proud. When Chad started he could barely remember to punch in, and now he was making sure customers got everything they came for, regardless of whether they remembered it or not.
Everything was bound to change soon enough, though. Kiko couldn’t see Chad not deciding to move to Madison, especially if he and Roy stayed together. And it would make no sense to keep a part-time weekend job as far away as Mount Angus. Kiko had a feeling he’d be losing Chad as an employee before summer. It was bittersweet; he liked the idea that he’d helped the teen grow up.
“Hey, boss,” said Chad, coming around from behind the counter. “Is there like, more ornaments?”
“No, there aren’t,” said Kiko, deflating somewhat. He hoped Chad would pass his courses. As far as he knew the teen had made it through the first semester. “We’re not a box store.”
Chad scratched his neck.
“There’s a big empty tree spot now. You want me to rearrange it so it looks good and all?”
“Thanks,” said Kiko, moving behind the counter to wash the goose stamp. Chad still apparently had a ways to go. Well, he was still young. Kiko tidied up as Chad clambered onto the ladder. The trees were beginning to look sparse, even the one stocked with Cat’s items, and those were higher priced. It was shaping up to be a good holiday season.
Kiko was wiping down the counter when Chad fell, swearing, taking the ladder with him. Katie looked up but Kiko waved at her to keep reading as he rushed over, not wanting children swarming all over. He was relieved to reach Chad and find him clutching his leg, moaning. No blood. Kiko knelt.
“Oww, fu—”
“Chad, kids here. Did you break your leg again?” Kiko frowned at where Chad’s foot tangled in the ladder but did not touch him. Chad groaned instead of swearing.
“Don’t think so, boss. But my ankle is totes twisted up.”
“Let’s get you out of the ladder,” said Kiko, helping Chad untangle himself. The floor was wet here from people coming in out of the slush and snow; it was probably only a matter of time before someone on the ladder slipped.
“Maybe I snapped it in two,” said Chad hopefully as Kiko helped him sit up. “Roy’s putting extra hours in this week at the hospital and—”
“Tell me you did not just injure yourself as an excuse to see him.”
Chad flushed.
“Nah, boss. It was an accident for real.”
Kiko held back saying good. He wasn’t particularly happy Chad was hurt again.
“How does it feel?” he asked instead. “As bad as when you broke your leg?”
“Nah,” said Chad again.
“You might have sprained it. Think you can walk? I’d like to get you out of the doorway.”
He helped Chad up, the teen wincing when he put weight on the injured foot, but he could walk over to a chair with little assistance. Kiko got him a bag of frozen peas he kept in the basement for situations like this and a glass of water. Chad was already on his phone, texting.
“Thanks, boss,” said Chad, taking the peas. Kiko held back a sigh.
* * * *
Dom didn’t want to go back home after work, but Kiko had texted him and asked that he be around for when Gaby and the kids got in with the tree. That meant if Devin was around, Dom would have to deal with him, and he really did not want to. After sex the night before, he and Kiko hadn’t discussed his brother again, hadn’t really done anything except drive home and go to bed. Dom had woken ravenous and wondered how Kiko managed on only a couple of pickle bacon pinwheels. He’d eaten more than half the plate himself.
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