“My family is a bunch of assholes.”
Tuck’s laugh tore from him with a loud snort.
Alex’s expression grew serious. “Did you look over those college applications I got for you?”
Tucker smiled. “Yes.”
“And?”
Before Tuck could answer, Ricky stepped out of the kitchen and yelled, “Order.” His gaze snapped to Tuck and Alex before narrowing into a hard stare.
Alex’s eyes widened with something akin to frightened excitement, like the look that people get when they are sitting at the top of the highest hill on a rollercoaster right before it takes off. “That’s mine,” he said, quickly turning on his heel and heading toward the kitchen.
Tuck wasn’t certain whether Alex meant the order or Ricky.
After his shift wound to an end, he drove home, unable to stop the feeling of dread. Would Todd even be home? He wasn’t certain which was worse, being alone in the apartment or being alone in the apartment with Todd ignoring him.
It was two in the morning, and the lights were out inside their place. Tuck went to his room first. His bed was made. The pile of laundry he’d left on his floor near the bed was gone. Todd had even ordered the items on Tuck’s dresser.
Tuck went over and put the spray bottle of cologne at the edge and fanned out the collection of sports magazines Todd had neatly stacked in chronological order. In the bathroom, Todd lined up the shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash, and hair gel sideways, their labels all facing one way. The toothpaste was pressed at the bottom and rolled up, and the toothbrushes were front facing in a spotless holder.
Tuck’s stomach clenched. Todd had always been meticulous. He needed order in his life. But this tight control he tried maintain over their home was another symptom of how much his mother’s presence in his life was tearing him apart. He’d tried to get Todd to talk about it. Hell, he’d even suggested a counselor. The suggestion had earned him silent treatment for two full days.
He peeked into Todd’s bedroom next. His heart ached as he watched his lover’s restless sleep. He wished he knew what Todd needed right now. He wished he could be what Todd needed right now. But as long as Todd shut him out, there was nothing he could do to help. He worried their relationship was a house of cards and one strong cross breeze would blow it apart.
“I love you,” he said quietly. “Please let me in.”
Chapter 3
An Invitation
Twenty-three months and five days. That’s how long his mother had been out of jail this time around. She’d managed to make it into the half-way house for the first six months, and had held down a job for over a year. For the first time, Todd felt hopeful she might make it. His mother had always been damaged, broken. She’d had a hard road as a child. At fifteen, she’d gotten pregnant with Todd. Her parents kicked her out of the house and the boy who’d knocked her up wanted her to have an abortion.
Maybe she should have. Maybe her life wouldn’t have been such utter shit if she’d gotten rid of him in the womb. He thought about Tuck, the pain and sadness he’d worn like second skin lately, and felt a stab of guilt. He’d been keeping Tucker at arm’s length when it came to his mother, but he hadn’t meant to damage their relationship.
Belinda was a lot. He didn’t want to put Tuck through the drama. Tucker’s mother had completely abandoned him. How could he understand Todd’s sense of responsibility to a parent?
He’d been thrust into the role of protector in the first grade. Todd remembered walking into their trailer and finding his mother passed out on the living room floor, her pants soaked with piss, and vomit dried in the threadbare carpet. Her skin was sallow, her cheeks were gaunt, and her eyes were closed. Todd’s heart raced as fear froze him. When Belinda moaned, relief came in the form of tears that clouded his vision. He ran to her.
“Mommy,” he’d said, giving her shoulder a shake.
“Help me, baby,” she’d whispered hoarsely. “Help me sit up.”
He’d been small for six-years-old, but he’d managed to prop her up with pillows and blankets until she was sitting up. He’d stared at her, worried that her every breath might be her last, but when she kept breathing, Todd had gone into action. He’d wet a towel and cleaned her up the best he could, and then after he put a pot of water on to boil, adding coffee straight into the pot until the water turned dark. He strained the grounds with a wire-mesh food strainer into a mug. Belinda kept saying over and over how he’d saved her. How he saved her every day.
Todd shuddered when he remembered how proud he’d felt at her praise. How she’d made him feel important. Over the next several years, he’d gotten better at making coffee and taking care of his mom…until he’d been taken away and placed in foster care.
Today his mother asked to meet him for breakfast—and wanted him to invite Tucker. She planned to introduce her boss, Collin Summers, who owned the diner where she worked. Supposedly, this was the guy keeping Belinda on the straight and narrow.
God! The way she talked about the man, you’d think he was the second coming. A part of Todd hated him already—the little boy in Todd who believed he was the only one capable of taking care of her. However, he didn’t want to make trouble for his mom. She had a job, and if she wanted him to meet this Collin guy, he would. He didn’t want to be the trigger that sent her spiraling out of control again. But what about his world? Fuck! Belinda’s world seemed to be coming together while his was falling apart.
Man, there was so much he wanted to say to Tuck, so much…
But how? When Tuck had suggested he needed to get professional help, like Todd couldn’t handle his mother, it had angered Todd more than he’d imagined anyone or anything could. Tucker was supposed to be on his side, but even he thought Todd was in over his head. Was reconnecting with his mom more he could handle? He didn’t want to completely shut down on Tuck.
God, Todd missed him so fucking much.
In the tiny apartment kitchen, Todd wiped down the counters. Straightened the coffee mugs until all the handles pointed in the same direction. He almost cried out when he saw a few stray grains of coffee scattered just behind the coffee maker. Quickly, he cleaned them up too. He had half an hour before he had to meet his mom. Ten minutes until he had to leave. Plenty of time to dry-mop the kitchen floor.
He went to the utility closet just off the living room and stared at the door next to it. Tuck’s bedroom door was closed. Todd held his breath as he slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open a crack. Tuck was all sprawled out on top of his sheets in nothing but a dark blue pair of boxer shorts that hugged his gorgeous ass. Todd grimaced when he noticed the comforter wadded on the floor.
On auto-pilot, he started toward the blanket then he noticed the magazines in disarray on the dresser. “Goddamn it,” he muttered.
Before he could fix the mess, Tucker said, “Leave them be.”
Todd turned sharply, guilt gutting him like a blade. “You’re awake.”
Tuck sat up and rubbed his face. “Yep.”
Fuck! Tuck looked good when he was groomed, but he looked even better tussled. His short blond hair stuck up in multiple places, and his hard abs moved hypnotically when he scratched his arm. It had been a whole week since he’d touched Tucker’s body. A whole week since he’d held him in his arms. A week since he’d made love to the only man who’d ever mattered in his life. He licked his dry lips, trying to ignore his growing erection. Less than ten minutes until he had to leave, he reminded himself.
Tucker raised a questioning brow and lay back on the bed, stretching, his own cock bulging under the blue cotton fabric. One week since he’d wrapped that length between his lips. One week…His skin burned with fevered need. Something was broken between them, and Todd knew it was his fault. It was broken and sex wouldn’t fix the problem.
Tucker rubbed his palm over his groin. An invitation.
No, sex wouldn’t fix their problem, but a quickie might act like a bandage, stemming the blood loss on their
hemorrhaging relationship. When he didn’t go to Tucker, the blond Adonis got up and crossed the floor to him. Todd’s knees felt squishy as he slowly exhaled.
Tuck pressed his palm over Todd’s heart.
“I have to go,” Todd said, his voice no more than a whisper.
“Then go,” Tucker told him. He brushed back the curls falling around Todd’s ear. Leaning in, he said, “Unless you want to stay.”
Todd felt like he would burst his skin. Every cell in his body wanted to stay…wanted to be in Tuck’s arms. “I…”
Tuck robbed him of his response with a kiss that claimed and demanded. Todd stepped into Tucker’s embrace, opening for the languid strokes of Tuck’s tongue as Tuck’s hands massaged down Todd’s back to his ass. They grinded their hips together, and Todd let himself drown for a moment in the intense feeling of Tucker’s hardness against his own. Oh God, how he missed this. How he missed Tuck.
He swallowed hard at the swell of emotion threatening to choke him. Tucker’s hands on his chest, his waist, pushing at the band on his jeans, nimble fingers unbuttoning, unzipping, his cock in Tucker’s hand. Oh yes. Yes. It was the first time since his mother’s call that he’d stopped thinking.
Tucker broke from the kiss, pushing up Todd’s shirt and dipped his head to tease Todd’s nipples, taking one between his teeth, tugging gently before laving the tip. He gave the other nipple the same attention before he moved his kisses lower. Todd’s cock hardened in response, and his balls tingled as blood rushed away from his head.
Beep. Beep. Beep. His phone alarm snapped him from the lusty haze. He stepped back, disengaging Tucker from his body, grieving the loss of his boyfriend’s touch. He couldn’t give in to impulsive behavior. Not now. Not with so much to lose.
“I have to go,” he said. He couldn’t look at Tucker. He knew if he did, he wouldn’t be able to leave, then his mom…”I’m sorry. We’ll talk to tonight, but I really have to go.” He zipped his jeans. “I’m sorry,” he said again. “She needs me.”
As he walked out, he heard Tucker say, “I need you too.”
Note from G.R.
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About G.R.
G.R. George is the pen name for USA Today bestselling author Renee George. G.R writes GLBT contemporary romance and GLBT paranormal romance. Her hot, steamy romances highlight varying themes including gay and bisexual relationships. A published author since 2005, she has written and published over 30 books in the past decade. Accolades include: EcataRomance Award for Best Paranormal Erotic Romance and Best Gay Erotic Romance and a Literary Nymph Blush Award for Best Paranormal Romance.
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eBooks by G.R. George
Holiday Hotties Romances, Paranormal MM series
http://www.holidayhottiesromances.com/
1. Fruitcakes
2. You Don’t Know Jack
3. Stupid Cupid
The Other Team, Contemporary MM Romance series
http://www.theotherteam.club/
1. The Wallbanger
2. The Hot Toddy
3. The Gin Rickey
4. The Dirty Martini
5. The Old Fashioned – Wallbanger 2
6. The Hurricane – Hot Toddy 2
7. The Sparkler – Gin Rickey 2
8. The Screwdriver - Dirty Martini 2
G.R. George writing as Renee George
Midnight Shifters, a Paranormal Romance series
http://www.midnightshifters.com
1. Midnight Shift
2. The Bear Witch Project
3. A Door to Midnight
4. A Shade of Midnight
5. Midnight Before Christmas
Lion Kings, a Paranormal Romance series
http://www.lionkingshifters.com/
1. The Lion Kings
The Cull, Paranormal Romance series
http://www.ozarkshifters.com/
1. Claimed By the Alpha
2. Protected By the Alpha
3. Ravished By the Alpha
G.R. recommends … Lexxie Couper
“If you love hot, sexy romance, I recommend Lexxie for more contemporary fiction that grabs a hold of you from the first page and doesn’t let you go until the end.”
Lust’s Rhythm
Heart of Fame, Book 10
Lexxie Couper
Chapter 1
She was death on two long, sublime, sexy legs.
She was shattered dreams and sinful desires.
She was a career destroyer.
She was unobtainable.
Untouchable.
Fuck, he wanted her.
Had for a long time. Years. Since the first time they’d come face to face, at a gala event honouring her father, Jed had wanted her.
She’d been twenty-one at the time. Already making a name for herself in the music world, although not the world he existed in. She’d looked incredible, her hair a mass of copper-red curls that hung to the middle of her back, her creamy skin flawless, her lips luscious and glossed with a candy-pink he immediately wanted to taste. Lick. Bite.
Chloe Blackthorne. The only daughter of Nick Blackthorne, a man who had once been the world’s hottest rock star. A man with more influence and clout in the music world than anyone else, even now.
A living phenomenon.
Her older brother, Josh—also rock royalty—had walked beside her along the red carpet leading into the Sydney Opera House, earning just as many squeals of adoration and delight as Nick, who’d flanked her other side, but Jed had only had eyes for Chloe.
Her smile for the cameras and the screaming fans of her father and brother had been sincere and warm.
Her body had been the stuff of sexual fantasies—nubile and encased in a shimmering, silvery slip of curve-hugging fabric that trailed behind her on the carpet and exposed her right thigh in a slit that stopped just below her hipbone.
Nick had jokingly tried to close that slit often when she posed for the cameras at various stages. Her mother had rolled her eyes every time.
Jed hadn’t been able to move.
He’d watched the slow progression up the steps, a distant part of him aware his name was being shouted by fans and photographers, that more than one of the camera flashes lighting up the dusk sky were illuminating his face.
He was, after all, if Rolling Stone magazine was to be believed, one of the “Hottest New Rockers of the Decade”.
He should have been acknowledging the fans, the cameras.
Instead, he’d watched Chloe mount the steps leading up to the Sydney Opera House with her family.
Their eyes had clashed when she’d reached the top.
Barely a few feet from where he’d stood, she’d looked his way. It was as if an invisible jolt of liquid electricity had sunk into his very existence.
He’d smiled.
She’d smiled back.
He’d stepped forward to introduce himself, to say hello to Nick—a man he’d spoken to a few times at various events…when he’d managed to
pluck up the courage to do so, that was.
Nick had steered Chloe away. Had given Jed a quick glance as if to say, not a hope in fucking hell, dude.
He and Chloe had never been within speaking distance at the same time since. They’d been in the same city, the same hotel. He’d even gone to one of her performances, the one where she’d played his first single as her encore. She’d looked up from her cello during the performance and found him sitting in the second row. Their eyes had connected, and she’d gone back to playing.
They’d been on each other’s horizons for a long time, but never close enough to speak.
Until now.
Four years later.
Four years of lusting after her from afar as their respective careers took off. Went stellar. In Chloe’s case, stratospheric.
She was not only recognized as the world’s best cellist, her music had been piped into outer space by the crew on the International Space Station.
The darling of the classical music world. The Untouchable.
If he spoke to her now, at the post-Grammys party hosted by her brother, would he wake up tomorrow to discover his career in tatters? That’s what her father had threatened last year. When Jed had asked of her at the Billboard Awards, Nick had looked him straight in the eyes, his smile relaxed, and said “Jed Brody, if you even think of coming near my daughter, I will make sure you never sign another record contract again.”
Protective-father vibes had radiated from him. A tsunami’s worth of them.
Jed understood. His reputation wasn’t exactly the kind fathers approved of; especially fathers who had lived the life Jed currently lived. Nick Blackthorne had existed in the world Jed existed in now. He knew exactly what that world was like, and Jed was known to live it large. Wild.
Sex, drugs, rock and roll.
Save for the drugs, that was Jed’s life. The drugs didn’t enter the equation, thanks to a mother who’d raised him to know what shit was good for him and what wasn’t. Drugs, all kinds, fell into the latter category. Fuck, he didn’t even drink coffee.
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