I Spy a Dark Obsession

by Jo Davis

  The door rattled, swung open. Bastian stood there scowling. “Jesus, I was asleep. What the fuck do you want, Michael?”

  “What do I—” He heaved a breath, attempting to gain control. “You cleared your shit out and left without so much as a note, and you ask what I want? What the hell do you think? Tell me why, dammit!”

  But he pretty much knew why, didn’t he? Which didn’t improve his position. He’d have to do better to reach his friend.

  Bastian’s lips twisted in a bitter parody of a smile. “You’d better come in before we give a free show to the neighbors.”

  Fuming, Michael followed the man inside, and, without waiting for an explanation, began with the strongest argument. “Are you crazy? You’re not safe from Dietz here, especially now. You’re a rabbit in a hole, waiting to get torn apart by his rabid wolves.”

  “Thanks. Your vote of confidence warms my heart.”

  “Don’t give me that crap! Are you forgetting I nearly died after the hit he put out on me?”

  Bastian’s face paled. “If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never forget. I was the one begging you not to die, remember?”

  As if Michael didn’t feel like a big enough pile of dung already. “Then we both know firsthand what he’s capable of,” he said, softening his tone. “Come home, where you belong. Where I can protect you.”

  The other man barked a humorless laugh, shaking his head. “You’re a real piece of work, you know that? Tell me, who’s supposed to protect me from you?”

  His fists clenched, but he forced himself to remain calm. “Okay, after last night, I deserve that. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

  “Mighty big of you to admit. I’ll mark the calendar.”

  “But you’ll also recall that you looked right into my eyes after I’d been shot and admitted I’d never once lied to you about my feelings.”

  “Yes. I said you had nothing to apologize for, and you don’t,” he said in a clipped voice. “But that doesn’t change what you mean to me and always will. I can’t turn off how I feel like flipping a switch. You think I wanted to fall in love with my straight best friend? What a joke.”

  Michael swallowed hard. Bastian hadn’t said those words since the day he’d driven Michael into Maggie’s arms by uttering them. He hadn’t been able to run fast enough. And now? God, he was so confused.

  “It’s not a joke. Your feelings could never be funny to me.”

  “Good to know.” Cocking his head, he studied Michael, hope flickering briefly in his green eyes. “Tell me something else—besides the danger from Dietz, why should I return to the estate with you? Because my plans for today are to catch a nap, take care of some personal stuff around here, then move to one of the empty living quarters on the SHADO compound until he’s caught. I’ll be safer there than anywhere.”

  He’s testing you. Don’t fuck this up.

  Meeting his friend’s gaze, he said, “Come back. Because I need you. Because my whole world is off-kilter without you there, and I want to protect you.” The hopeful light dimmed, changed to sadness, and his gut flipped. “What?”

  “There was a whole lot of ‘I’ in those sentences. What about me?”

  “I don’t get you! What do you want me to say?”

  “Nothing you don’t mean.” He started to turn. “Go home, Michael. I’m tired.”

  His hand shot out and he grabbed his friend’s arm, yanking him around. “For God’s sake, give me a clue!”

  “No. If I have to tell you, the words will never hold any value. And I’m not talking about ‘I love you,’ either. Though I’d be the happiest bastard alive if you said and meant them.”

  “Then I must be an idiot, because I don’t understand what else there is.”

  This was not going according to plan. What more did the man want? He tried a different tack.

  “You said you can’t turn off how you feel like flipping a switch? Well, I can’t come to grips overnight with how I feel.”

  “About?”

  “Us.”

  “You made it crystal clear last night there is no us,” he whispered, shaking off Michael’s grip. “Why are you doing this to me? Ripping my heart out two, three times isn’t good enough for you? You want blood?”

  “That’s not completely fair to me. You can’t expect me to change on a dime,” he repeated. “But I think I am changing. Something’s happening to me, Bastian. I look at you and I have these weird, overwhelming feelings. I get feverish, like—like I have the flu or something. I picture my home without you in it, and I can’t breathe. You confuse me, and I don’t know what to do.”

  The hope he’d glimpsed before flashed again, but Bastian shook his head. “I’m not going to be your guinea pig while you figure out why I make you sweat. I’m my own man, I have a shred of pride left, and I’m done.”

  His mouth fell open. “Done. With me?”

  “I’ll always be your friend, but I have to distance myself from you for my own good. For a while, anyway. I think it’s for the best.”

  “And if I do figure it out? What then?”

  “I may be here . . . or I may not. I guess that’s the chance you’ll have to take,” he said softly. Walking to the door, he opened it, the message clear. “See you at work.”

  Michael found he could barely speak. “Okay. If that’s the way you want it.”

  “I seriously doubt it was ever a question of what I wanted. Good-bye, Michael.”

  As soon as Michael stepped outside, the door shut and locked behind him. He stood for a long moment, completely stunned. And more bereft than he’d been since Maggie was killed.

  As he walked away, he thought he heard a sound like a muffled sob.

  But it was probably his imagination.

  Bastian leaned against the door. Hung his head and tried to stifle a sob, and didn’t quite succeed. “Oh, God.”

  That had been the hardest thing he’d ever done. If you love something, set it free. . . .

  What total bullshit. He’d probably just made the biggest mistake of his life. Now Michael would happily retreat back into his nice, safe hetero world with his virtue mostly intact—the illadvised, experimental, guy blow job notwithstanding. Katrina would no doubt be glad to help scrub the memory from his brain.

  But Bastian remembered the man’s passionate kiss. The raw desire on his face as he watched Bastian’s lips slide up and down his cock. A man couldn’t fake loving the sex.

  No way was Michael faking the pain on his face a few minutes ago as he’d tried to bare his soul to his best friend. And you shut him down, practically kicked him out.

  His heart screamed at him to go after Michael, call him back. Tell him that he didn’t mean any of it, that he didn’t want any distance between them.

  His head advised that would be the exact wrong move. Deep down, he knew Michael needed this time to work out whatever was going on in that head of his.

  But he would not allow himself to sit around and mope. And wait. He had a life to resume, and, fuck it all, that’s exactly what he was going to do.

  And if Michael didn’t like it? He had the power to make Bastian his . . . if he got his mind and his heart on the same page.

  Katrina tied her silk robe more securely around her and padded into the kitchen, flipping on the coffeemaker. Thoughts of Michael, Bastian, and last night chased around in her head as she fished in the pantry for a package of plain bagels and set them on the counter next to the toaster. Next, she grabbed the cream cheese and strawberry jam from the fridge.

  Last night with Michael had been wonderful. Exciting. Almost perfect. But something was missing, and—

  A knock at the door dispelled the thought and she glanced at the clock. Her neighbor was a few minutes early, which was unusual. The girl was a butterfly, flitting from one flower to the next, and a concept like being on time, much less early, was totally foreign to her. Leaving the breakfast items on the counter, she made a beeline for the door and yanked it open, grinning.


  “You’re early! I’ll alert the media—Oh. Michael!” She frowned. “You look awful. Aren’t those the same clothes from last night that you wore home this morning? Good grief, come in.”

  She stepped aside, noting the shadows in his dark eyes, the defeated slump of his shoulders. Trailing him into the living room, she gestured for him to sit. “What’s wrong?”

  He flopped onto the sofa with a groan and ran a hand down his face. “I think I just lost my best friend. Isn’t that a shitty cliché?”

  “Oh no.” She lowered herself to the sofa beside him and laid a hand on his arm. “You were going to talk to him when you got home, right? What happened?”

  “He’d moved out, went back to his apartment. I drove over there and tried to reason with him, but he practically threw me out,” he said miserably.

  She had a sneaking suspicion that Michael’s idea of “reason” differed a great deal from Bastian’s. “Did you run the idea by him of the three of us getting together, seeing where things go?”

  “The conversation never got that far or I would’ve brought it up.” Leaning his head back, he stared at the ceiling. “We must’ve sounded like a couple of thirteen-year-old girls with all the whining about feelings and shit, and I just wanted to jump off a bridge. God, I’m such an ass.”

  The picture he conjured of their emotional talk made her want to smile, but she knew her humor would not be welcome at the moment. “So how did you leave things between you?”

  Michael snorted. “He pretty much tossed me out of his life. Told me he wasn’t going to be my guinea pig while I got my act together.”

  “Sounds reasonable.”

  “What?” He whipped his head around to stare at her. “Whose side are you on, anyway? I need him and my world isn’t the same without him. I told him as much, and I got kicked in the teeth for it!”

  “Is that the way you told him?” she asked pointedly. “I want, I need . . .”

  “Hell, yes! But what does . . .” He frowned. She waited for him to get it.

  He was male, so the wait took a tad longer than normal.

  Finally, his eyes rounded. “Oh. Oh, fuck.”

  “Bingo,” she said wryly. “I’m guessing the results might’ve been exponentially better had a few of those statements started with ‘you,’ followed by the qualities in him that you love.”

  “But I thought that’s what I was saying!” He heaved a deep sigh. “I really am an ass.”

  “No, you’re trying to find your way, just like the rest of us.” Leaning into him, she nuzzled his neck, spread a few light kisses on the smooth skin. They’d showered this morning, so he smelled fresh, like her herbal soap.

  Scooting to face her, he captured her mouth with his, slid a hand under the edge of her robe, seeking the naked flesh underneath—

  And a knock on the door interrupted what might have been a very nice interlude.

  “My neighbor,” she said with regret, pushing to her feet. “We made plans for coffee. I didn’t know you’d be back.”

  “I can go,” he offered. But he didn’t look like he wanted to leave.

  “No, don’t. Actually, you might enjoy meeting her. She’s kind of a whirlwind, and that’s putting it mildly.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  “Absolutely.” Crossing to the door, she let in the whirlwind and barely opened her arms in time to catch the enthusiastic hug. “Hey, you made it.”

  “Sorry I’m late! Jesus, maintenance took forever to fix our dryer, and then I didn’t think my nails were ever going to dry, and—Oh, my God!”

  Katrina tracked her friend’s openmouthed astonishment directly to Michael. The pair was gaping at each other. “I take it you two have already met?”

  “Michael!” Her friend squealed and dashed across the room, hitched her extremely short skirt, and straddled the man’s lap. “What are you doing here? Did you bring strawberries and chocolate sauce?”

  He shot a panicked look at Katrina. “Um, no, I—”

  Whatever he was about to say was lost as Jeri checked the state of his tonsils with her tongue. Stunned, Katrina stood motionless as her lover quickly succumbed to the kiss with a low sound of pleasure. Jeri and Michael were acquainted in the biblical sense, apparently. She didn’t know whether to be annoyed or intrigued by the revelation.

  Intrigue won out, hands down. As she crossed to sit next to them, Jeri pulled back slightly and beamed. “Cool outfit, but I liked the brown leathers and black T-shirt better.”

  Michael met Katrina’s gaze desperately, and it clicked into place. That’s how Michael had been dressed the other night when he stopped by here to chew her out for the faulty camera, before going cruising. And he saw Katrina put two and two together. Katrina gave him a wicked smile.

  “I like those pants, too.”

  “He looks sooo yummy in brown,” Jeri enthused. She glanced at her friend, curious. “How do you guys know each other?”

  “We work together,” Katrina said. “He’s my boss. You?”

  “Oh, he picked up me and Jackie the other night at Daddy’s Money and took us to that huge house of his! Fucked our brains out all night long, too! Such a beast.” She sighed in fond remembrance.

  “Don’t I know it?” She was thoroughly enjoying watching Michael squirm. So that’s why the man hadn’t wanted to go to that particular club when Emma had suggested it.

  Jeri, who was sharper than people gave her credit for, blinked at Katrina. “Uh-oh. Are you guys, like, exclusive? Because you know I don’t poach, girlfriend. Ever.”

  Fondly, Katrina brushed a lock of red-streaked brown hair from her face. “I know you don’t. No, this—whatever this is—is new. Seems we have an interesting situation here,” she commented, smirking at Michael. Who looked like he’d swallowed a bug.

  “Mmm, I’ll say.” Jeri wiggled on the man’s lap. “He’s hard as a freaking rock.”

  “What should we do about that, I wonder?”

  “It would be a shame to let a perfect boner go to waste.” Jeri pouted at the possibility.

  “We should probably help him out.”

  “Out of these jeans, you mean.”

  “A fantastic idea.”

  “Actually, I don’t think that’s a good plan,” Michael said with a lack of conviction.

  Jeri began to yank at his shirt, tugging it over his head. “But you should hear the whole plan before you decide, right? What do ya think, Kit-Kat?” The shirt went sailing.

  Michael’s brows rose at Jeri’s pet name for her, and Katrina gave a husky laugh. “I think we should get him naked.”

  “Ooh, definitely!” Her friend began to work on his fly.

  “And then we should eat his balls and cock until he’s begging for more.”

  “Make him burn.”

  “Yes. And then I have a special toy I’m going to use on his ass while he fucks you,” Katrina purred, loving the flush of arousal on his face. The tautness of his male nipples, the heavily veined cock as it sprang free of his jeans. The weighty balls underneath, cradled in Jeri’s hand. She went supernova hot, all over.

  Jeri made short work of the jeans, then crouched between his knees and gave his shaft a slow lick. “Mmm, as tasty as I remember. Girl, you have the best ideas.”

  “Do I get a say in this?” he croaked.

  “Sure you do. What would you like?” Katrina eyed his physical perfection, mouth watering.

  “First of all, I feel stupid being the only one naked.”

  “Easily remedied!” Jeri chirped. She unzipped her skirt and stepped out of it, revealing that she wore nothing underneath. Her skimpy top went next, showing off her pretty, bare breasts.

  Katrina simply untied her robe and let it slide off to puddle on the floor. “Okay, we’re even. What else?”

  “After we’ve done things your way, I get to use a toy on you,” he said, eyeing Katrina like a starving wolf.

  “That can be arranged, since I have plenty to choose from.” He seemed surprised
by that, and she smiled. “Still waters, and all that.”

  “I’ll say.” He gasped as Jeri sucked down his cock. “Oh, shit.”

  Indeed. Watching her friend work him, the hard flesh splitting her plump lips, made her instantly wet. His confession of the blow job Bastian had given him came to mind, and she wished she could’ve seen them together. She held out hope that eventually they’d all be together. But she had this now, and it was damned good.

  With Jeri still kneeling on the floor at his feet, Katrina scooted back slightly on the sofa so she could bend to Michael’s lap. Jeri pulled off his cock and gave her room, and then they both began feasting on the straining shaft and his balls. He groaned helplessly, burying each of his hands in their hair, bucking his hips. A time or two, Katrina’s tongue dueled with Jeri’s, and once they shared a deep kiss, nearly causing Michael to lose control right away.

  “Oh, fuck. That’s beautiful. Shit, yeah.”

  They broke the kiss, and Katrina winked at him. “You like the show? Maybe you’ll see more later—if you’re a good boy.”

  They went back to licking and sucking him until he was mindless, completely theirs. Sitting up, Katrina whispered she’d be right back, and hurried to her bedroom for lube, condoms, and the promised toys. Back in the living room, she paused at the delicious sight of Jeri bobbing over his lap and Michael splayed with his head back.

  “That’s enough. We don’t want him to come yet,” she said, joining them again. “Let’s lay him on the floor, where we can get to him better.”

  Standing, Jeri took his hand, tugged him up, and led him to the middle of the room. She pulled him down again and he went willingly, eagerly waiting for whatever they had in store. Katrina grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa and tossed it to her friend.

  “Here, put this under his butt.” Next she grabbed the lube, a condom, and the toy she was going to use on Michael. After his rear was elevated, she told him, “Spread your legs for us, honey.”

  He complied, looking a little nervous, though his erection hadn’t flagged one bit. “What are you two doing?”

  “You’ll see.” Jeri giggled. “Well, actually, you won’t see. But you’ll sure as hell feel it. You’re gonna go off like a rocket.”