by Ally Blue
Scott gave him a puzzled look. “Isn’t that what you did at the peep show?”
“Um, not exactly.” Heat rose in Keegan’s cheeks. Scott clearly had no experience with such places, and Keegan wished he wasn’t the one who had to explain it. “I jerked off, mostly. Sometimes I had to use toys on myself.”
Scott’s hand tightened around his. “You never had to…you know. Have sex?”
Keegan couldn’t help smiling at the half-pleading, half-angry tone of Scott’s voice. “No, I didn’t.”
“Good.”
There was something wonderfully thrilling about Scott’s possessiveness. On impulse, Keegan set his coffee down, hooked his hand around the back of Scott’s neck and pulled him close for a kiss. Scott’s mouth opened under his, warm and tasting of espresso. It felt incredible. Not just the silky heat of Scott’s mouth, but the knowledge that he was loved. Caring about a lover, and having him return the feeling, was something he’d never experienced before. It made him feel light and giddy.
“I love you,” Scott whispered, twirling a strand of Keegan’s hair around his finger.
Keegan felt himself tense, even though he tried to fight it. “Scott—”
Scott cut him off before he could get any further. “You don’t have to tell me why that scares you so much,” he said, his breath warm against Keegan’s cheek. “But I’d like to hear it, when you’re ready.”
A hard lump of dread formed in Keegan’s guts. He swallowed the bile rising in his throat and made himself meet Scott’s eyes. This was going to be rough.
“I met Tony just over eight years ago, at the club where I worked,” he began, keeping his voice deliberately calm. “He was a lot older than me, about fifty, really fit and handsome, and he treated me like I was special. Like I was more than just a stripper. Suckered me right in.”
Scott’s eyes never left Keegan’s face. “What happened?”
Here we go. Keegan took a couple of shallow breaths. “We’d been dating for about six months when he told me he loved me. Nobody had ever said that to me before, not even my parents.”
Scott made a soft, surprised sound. “Christ, Keegan.”
Keegan plowed on, wanting only to finish his story and never have to think of it again. “I was so happy. I was crazy in love with him. Would’ve done anything for him. So when he asked me to live with him, I said yes. We celebrated with a bottle of wine at his place. I went to sleep in his bed. I woke up the next morning in a cage, with a collar around my neck that was chained to the wall.”
“Oh my God,” Scott exclaimed, eyes wide.
“It was several days before I saw him again,” Keegan continued. “When he finally showed up I screamed at him, called him the worst things I could think of. Told him to let me go or I’d kill him. I meant it, too. But he just laughed at me and told me I’d get used to being his slave.”
Scott swore under his breath. Keegan rocked in his seat, eyes fixed on the far wall. “I don’t know how long he kept me there. Several weeks, I think. He drugged me to keep me weak, but he wanted me to be submissive and I would rather have died than submit to him after what he’d done. Finally he said I wasn’t worth the trouble. He shot me full of narcotics, drove me all the way here to Asheville and dumped me on a street corner.”
“That fucking piece of shit,” Scott growled, eyes flashing. He wound a protective arm around Keegan’s shoulders.
“He’d promised he’d take care of me. That he’d never let anything hurt me again. And then he…did that to me.” Keegan closed his eyes and leaned into Scott’s embrace. “When he had me in that cage, he kept telling me that love was nothing but slavery and I should be glad I had someone like him willing to look after me. When he threw me out and told me nobody else would ever love me, I believed him.”
“His sick version of love was the only one you’d ever known. No wonder you panicked when I said that to you.” Scott kissed his hair. “That’s what your nightmare was about the other day, wasn’t it? He promised never to hurt you, and he hurt you worse than you could’ve imagined.”
“I’m sorry I’m so fucked up,” Keegan said.
“Actually, I think you’re a whole lot less fucked up than most people would be after going through what you did.” Scott raised Keegan’s face and kissed his lips. “So what happens now?”
“I…I’d like to try,” Keegan told him, heart fluttering madly. “Us, I mean. Being together. If that’s still okay.”
Scott’s smile melted away the last of Keegan’s fear. “You know it is.”
Keegan laughed for sheer happiness, and Scott laughed with him. When they kissed, it swiftly escalated from tender to heated. Desire coursed like lava through Keegan’s veins, sweet and hot. He broke the kiss and grinned when he saw his need mirrored in Scott’s eyes.
“Come home with me,” Keegan whispered, running a hand up Scott’s thigh. “I need you right now.”
Scott stood, pulling Keegan with him, his expression hungry. “Come on.”
* * *
Café Noctem was only a couple of blocks from Ganymede’s Grotto. Keegan figured that was a good thing, because if they’d had any further to go they may very well have ended up screwing in the street. They stumbled up the stairs to Keegan’s apartment, mouths locked together. The second Scott kicked the door shut behind them, Keegan fell to his knees, hands working open Scott’s jeans.
“Oh fuck.” Scott groaned as Keegan yanked his pants down and wrapped a hand around his cock.
Keegan swiped his tongue over the head of Scott’s prick. The taste of pre-come sent a shudder of pleasure through him. “Fuck my mouth, Scott.”
Scott blinked down at him, a question in his eyes. Keegan let his lust shine through, showing Scott it was okay. Scott growled, buried both hands in Keegan’s hair and shoved his cock down Keegan’s throat. Keegan relaxed his muscles and let Scott in all the way, humming happily as Scott pounded into him. He loved the feel of Scott in his mouth, the smell and taste of his lover’s need, the moans and gasps that spoke Scott’s pleasure more eloquently than words ever could. It was a powerful feeling to know he could make Scott lose himself like this.
Within minutes, Scott’s body began to tremble, his thrusts losing their rhythm. Smiling inwardly, Keegan slid his mouth down Scott’s cock until his chin hit Scott’s balls, and swallowed. Scott hissed, his prick pulsed and he came in a salty-bitter flood down Keegan’s throat. Keegan dug both hands into Scott’s ass and held him in place so he wouldn’t miss a drop.
He was forced to let go when Scott’s knees buckled and he slid gracelessly to the ground. “Oh, man,” Scott sighed. “That was amazing.”
Keegan grinned, feeling light and free and happier than he could ever remember. He climbed up to straddle Scott’s lap. “Let’s go to bed,” he murmured, rubbing his cheek against Scott’s. “I want you to fuck me as soon as you get it up again.”
Scott laughed, arms coming up to hold Keegan close. “Hell, it’s still up.”
“Hm.” Keegan ground his ass experimentally against Scott’s lap, which got him a heartfelt groan. Scott was indeed still hard, his unflagging erection pressed against Keegan’s balls. “Oh yeah, that’s what I want.” Keegan bounced up and down a couple of times, snickering when Scott’s eyes crossed. “Can you stand up?”
Scott gave him an evil grin. “To get inside that hot little ass? Fuck yeah.”
Keegan squeaked in surprise when Scott surged to his feet, strong arms clutching Keegan close to his body. Grinning, Keegan wound his legs around Scott’s waist.
“Caveman,” he teased, biting Scott’s bottom lip.
“Ugh,” Scott grunted. He shuffled across the room with his pants around his ankles and Keegan clinging to him like a monkey. “Me fuck Keegan through mattress.”
Keegan laughed as Scott tossed him onto the bed and started stripping. He squirmed out of his own clothes, tossing them in an untidy heap on the floor, and spread his legs wide. “Come get it, big boy.”
Sc
ott crawled up between his legs, dark eyes dancing. He leaned down and kissed Keegan’s lips. “Where’s the lube?”
“Uhhh…” Keegan scrunched his face up, thinking hard. “Oh yeah. Here.” He dug around under the pile of pillows, drew out the little tube and handed it to Scott. “Hurry.”
Scott coated his fingers in lube and pushed two into Keegan’s ass. Keegan moaned, feeling his body opening right up. “Scott, please, I can’t wait,” he begged, pulling his legs up to his chest. “There’s rubbers in the drawer, just do it.”
Scott shook his head, adding a third and fourth finger at the same time. Keegan gasped, shaking with the pleasure of it. “I want you bare, Keegan,” Scott whispered. “Is that okay?”
Keegan blinked at him. “I…I could show you my test results. You’re the only one I’ve been with since my last test.”
“Are you clean?” Scott twisted his wrist, sliding his fingers deeper into Keegan’s body, thumb stroking the stretched ring of muscle.
“Uh…y-yes. Fuck, Scott…” Keegan pushed up on his elbows, straining to see between his legs. Scott practically had his entire not-at-all-small hand up Keegan’s ass, and Keegan wanted very much to see that.
“Okay. Bare, then.” Scott tugged on one of Keegan’s nipple rings with his teeth. “Ready?”
In answer, Keegan grabbed Scott’s cock and pulled it toward him. Scott smiled. Taking his fingers out of Keegan’s hole, he laid his hand over Keegan’s on his prick and guided himself inside.
“Oooooooh,” Keegan breathed as Scott filled him up. “Yeah, that’s it. God.”
Scott studied Keegan’s face with an unnerving directness. “Don’t close your eyes,” Scott said in a lust-rough voice when Keegan’s eyelids fluttered. “Look at me.”
Keegan bit his lip and fought the urge to shut his eyes with everything he had. If Scott wanted that intimacy, Keegan was determined to give it to him.
It surprised him more than a little to discover how good it felt to stare into Scott’s eyes while they made love. It was incredibly intense, making him feel bare and raw and vulnerable. But at the same time, he felt a sense of completion and peace like he’d never known. He cupped Scott’s face in his hands, panting through parted lips as Scott fucked him deep and slow.
“You feel so good,” Scott whispered. “So hot. So fucking alive inside.”
“Want you inside me forever.” Keegan ran both thumbs over Scott’s soft lips. “So good, Scott.”
“Yeah. Good.” Scott’s eyes went unfocused for a second. “Close. Oh God…”
“Fuck, yeah.” Keegan wriggled until he could sling his legs over Scott’s shoulders. The new angle sent Scott’s next thrust slamming into his prostate and he cried out. “God, now, now, hard, baby, come on!”
Growling, Scott planted his hands on the mattress at Keegan’s sides and pounded him in short, sharp jabs. Keegan’s world shrank until all he could see was Scott’s face hovering over his, all he could feel was Scott’s cock filling him up.
Keegan came with his eyes wide open and locked with Scott’s, watching Scott’s orgasm take him. It was the best thing he’d ever felt.
Scott pulled out, rolled over and folded Keegan against his chest before Keegan recovered enough to move on his own. Keegan cuddled right up, one arm snug around Scott’s middle. Scott’s heartbeat thudded under his ear, strong and fast and steady. He sighed in perfect contentment.
“Wow,” Keegan mumbled when he could talk again. “That was unbelievable. I’ve never kept my eyes open during sex before.”
Scott’s hand came up to stroke Keegan’s sweaty hair. “Was it good?”
“Incredible. I always thought it would be too much, you know? Maybe with someone else, it would’ve been.” Keegan lifted his head enough to see Scott’s face. “With you, it was perfect. I’m glad we did it that way.”
Scott smiled, his hand sliding down to cup Keegan’s cheek. “Me too. Come here.”
Keegan moved to meet Scott’s kiss, opening his mouth to Scott’s probing tongue. There was something wonderfully different, he thought, about kissing someone who truly knew you and loved you anyway. He knew he’d never be able to live without that feeling, now that he’d tasted it. With any luck, he’d never have to.
Now if only he could work up the courage to tell Scott how he felt. Scott had helped him rise above the past that had dragged him down for so long, and Keegan wanted him to know that.
Tomorrow, Keegan thought as he snuggled back into Scott’s embrace. Tomorrow, I’ll tell him I love him. It’s Valentine’s Day, after all.
His mind made up, Keegan closed his eyes and slept.
Chapter Seven
Ganymede’s Grotto was packed to the rafters when Scott arrived the next night. Leaning against the bar, he signaled the bartender, Jordan.
“Keegan said you spent the night with him,” Jordan said without preamble.
Scott grinned. Jordan was always shockingly direct. “Yeah, I did. He kicked me out this afternoon at three, when he had to come to work. Could I get a whiskey and soda, please?”
“Coming up.” Jordan poured the drink and handed it to Scott. “I’d give good money to watch you guys going at it. You ever considered doing it in one of the viewing rooms?”
Chuckling, Scott shook his head. “No.”
“You should.” Jordan gave him a cheerful leer. “That’d be hot.”
“Not happening. Sorry.” Scott glanced toward the stage. Keegan’s show wasn’t supposed to start for another five minutes. “So tell me about this Lupercalia thing.”
Earlier that day, Keegan had explained that every February fourteenth, Ganymede’s Grotto observed the ancient Roman holiday of Lupercalia. According to Keegan, the sexual nature of the festival was frowned on by the newly powerful church when Christian rule began in Rome. The church replaced the centuries-old celebrations with its own, tamer activities. A romantic story of a rebel priest was invented and whispered among the people. It took hold, and Valentine’s Day was born.
Keegan had hinted that the club observed some of the Romans’ traditional sexual games, but hadn’t said what they were. Scott was horribly curious, even though he had no plans to participate.
Jordan shrugged as he drew a draft beer for another customer. “Not much to tell. It’s basically an excuse for a big party with lots of sex. The group sex rooms and the viewing rooms’ll be packed later, after the drawing.”
Scott raised his eyebrows. “Drawing?”
“For partners. Anyone who wants to participate puts their name in a bowl. Earl draws names in pairs, and the couples go fuck. They can use a private room, or join a group, or put on a show, whatever they want. It’s about the most popular night of the year for the Dungeons too, other than Halloween.”
Scott cleared his throat. He knew that Ganymede’s Grotto had “dungeons” for the use of their members who were into the BDSM lifestyle, but he didn’t want to think about it. It reminded him of Logan.
Just then, the primitive throb of Keegan’s music started. Scott turned toward the stage. Earl stood in front of the mic, grinning at the cheering crowd.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” Earl said. “Welcome one and all to the eleventh annual Lupercalia Festival here at Ganymede’s Grotto.”
Wild cheers and lewd suggestions rang out from the audience. Earl laughed. “Remember, if you’d like to participate in our sex-partner drawing, please see any of our wonderful waitstaff. They’ll make sure that your name is entered. We’ll draw names after the show. And now, without further ado, I give you the God of Love himself, the one, the only, Eros!”
The curtain swung open as Earl exited the stage, and Scott’s breath caught. Keegan stood there under a red spotlight, poured into the skintight white pants and sheer shirt he’d been wearing the first time Scott watched him strip. He had his back to the audience, the feathered wings framing his ass in shining white, his red-gold curls tumbling in a wild cascade down his back. Scott thought, as he did every time, that he’d
never seen anyone so hot in his life.
The show was more or less Keegan’s usual Eros act, but it seemed different to Scott. Keegan’s body moved with a feral grace, his features lit by the most beautiful smile Scott had ever seen. Fierce and free and joyful. Keegan was always sexy when he stripped, but this unguarded delight made Scott want to jump him right there on stage.
By the time Keegan took his bows and left the stage, Scott was painfully hard and squirming on the barstool he’d managed to snag. A big, annoyingly handsome man who’d been eyeing Keegan earlier had gotten a phone call and left halfway through the show, much to Scott’s relief. It disturbed him how much he wanted to grab the guy by the throat and tell him to lay off, that Keegan was his and no one else’s. After all, how else was the guy supposed to look at a stripper? Scott shook his head at his own irrationality.
Scott fidgeted through the drawing of names for Lupercalia partners, trying to resist the urge to glance at his watch every few seconds. His mind wandered, thinking of all the things he’d rather be doing right then. Like kissing Keegan. Running his hands over Keegan’s smooth bare skin. Feeling Keegan’s breath in his ear while they fucked. He reached between his legs and adjusted himself as discreetly as possible.
Scott nearly jumped out of his skin with surprise when he heard Earl call the names Logan Pitts and Darryl Rogers, followed by the name of a man clearly meant to be their third for the night. Squinting through the crowd around the stage, Scott picked out Logan’s tousled blond head. A man who Scott recognized as Darryl stood behind him, arms around his waist. Logan laughed as he reached a hand toward the blushing sandy-haired young man Earl sent his way. He looked happy. Smiling, Scott raised his glass in a silent toast.
Hands slid around his waist from behind, startling him. “Hi Scott,” a voice breathed in his ear.