Snowbound

by Scarlet Blackwell

  He was still waiting for his life to begin.

  He climbed out of the bath, dried himself, and dressed again. Then he took his room key and set off.

  He recalled the way to Dylan's house easily enough. He pulled up on the opposite side of the street and shut his engine and lights off. The police cruiser stood in the driveway. Behind it was a black SUV. So that was Dylan's man's car. Clearly a penis extension. Hayden drove a small car. He had no need to brag.

  The curtains were drawn over the lit living room windows. The bedroom was dark. Perhaps they were eating. Afterward, they would stack the dishwasher then climb the stairs. Maybe they would take a bath together and Dylan's man would stroke the black dragon.

  Hayden slid down in his seat. What was he going to do? Stay here all night and will Dylan to him by the force of his desire?

  The stairs light came on. A silhouette stood at the bedroom window, closing the curtains. Hayden remained still, staring up.

  Dylan saw him. He froze, looking down. Then he pulled the curtains tightly closed. The light didn't come on. Perhaps Dylan sat in the dark brooding, or perhaps he and his man were already fumbling their clothes off while Hayden sat outside like the most deluded, desperate, lovelorn admirer that ever lived.

  ****

  Dylan didn't tell Will that Hayden sat outside watching them. Nor did he tell him Hayden had walked back into his life that day. Will was well used to Dylan's silences, the brooding when he would drift away, remember the two-day love affair that had changed his life. They had never really discussed Hayden. Dylan had only said there had once been someone. Someone he'd lost. It was all he needed to say. Will knew Hayden cast a shadow over Dylan's life and he would take him to the grave.

  CHAPTER NINE

  A bang in the distance awoke Hayden with a jolt. He blinked in the sunlight, his neck cramped and frozen, before his car door was wrenched open and a furious Dylan pulled him bodily from the vehicle.

  "What are you still doing out here, Hayden, you creepy fucking stalker?" Dylan held him by the shirt with one hand. Hayden stared into his flashing eyes. Broken and defeated, he stayed limp in Dylan's grip, holding his hands out to his sides as though he were under arrest.

  He saw Dylan's eyes shift from anger to anguish. The sheriff let go of him as another voice sounded.

  "What's going on?"

  Hayden's gaze turned and focused on Dylan's man as he strode down the driveway. Of average height and leaner than Dylan, his man had short, dark auburn hair and pale blue-green eyes. Apart from the fact he no doubt had a working leg and no limp, he was a carbon copy of Hayden in every detail.

  The two of them stared at each other. Dylan flushed. "This is my two-night stand of twelve years ago," he told his man scornfully. "He thinks he has some claim."

  Hayden sagged back against his car, leaden with misery. Dylan's man regarded him for another moment and then he turned and walked away without a word.

  Dylan clenched his jaw. "Get in your car and drive away."

  Hayden fell back into the driver's seat. He fumbled for the keys with an unsteady hand, his eyes burning.

  Dylan walked back up his driveway. He closed the front door before Hayden had started the engine.

  ****

  Dylan watched Hayden pull away, just to make sure. He sank down on the couch, looking fearfully at Will, who was in the kitchen drinking a glass of water. Will put his glass down. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair before he came into the living room.

  "I always knew he'd come back," he told Dylan. "After the first few years, I started to feel confident, even though I knew. The longer time went on, the more I thought I was wrong. But I always knew I only had you on loan."

  Dylan shook his head. "No, Will."

  Will smiled tenderly. He stood before Dylan, a hand stroking his cheek. "I'm going to pack a few things. I'll come back for the rest."

  Dylan grabbed his wrist. "No."

  Will leaned down and kissed him before he gently disentangled himself from Dylan's grip and walked out of the room, leaving Dylan stewing in fear, regret and something else: barely-concealed hope.

  ****

  Hayden returned to the hotel with his tail between his legs. He shoved dirty clothes in his still unpacked bag and prepared to leave but he didn't get two steps from the bed before his leg gave way. He let himself fall, clutching at the covers, burying his face into the pillow.

  Sometime during the afternoon he awoke from deep sleep. His head ached. He was all cried out. He negotiated his way to the bathroom, filled a glass from the tap, and drank. He went back to the bedroom, closed the curtains on the dazzling day, and shed his clothes before he crawled between the cool sheets to further oblivion.

  ****

  At the door, Will hugged Dylan hard. He stepped out, carrying three bags to his car and Dylan watched the last seven years of his life walk away. He and Will had been comfortable companions. There had been tenderness and passion between them and mutual interests that made them perfectly suited. Will hadn't been Hayden, though. Dylan had never recaptured those two heady nights he had spent falling in love.

  ****

  A knock on the door startled him from sleep. Hayden fished around on the floor for clothes, found his boxers, and pulled them on. He opened the door a crack, blinking at the visitor.

  Dylan stood there wearing his uniform.

  Hayden's beleaguered heart still found enough energy to leap into his throat. He clutched at the door in order to remain upright. "What are you…?"

  Dylan sighed. He stepped closer, lifted a hand, trailing fingertips down Hayden's cheek. "I never forgot you, not once. I carried you inside me for twelve years."

  Hayden couldn't speak.

  "And those words I said to you…" Dylan looked ashamed.

  "You don't think I'm a creepy fucking stalker then?" Hayden asked hopefully.

  "No. I should be so lucky."

  Hayden smiled. Dylan's thumb moved over his lips, tracing their outline. Hayden pursed them in a kiss. Dylan's eyes darkened. He moved in, his hand pulling Hayden's head to him.

  This kiss was more tender than the one in the alleyway but no less passionate. It told Hayden he had come home.

  They stumbled backwards into the room, Dylan shedding his clothes as he walked Hayden back to the bed. They fell there together and Dylan slid down his body, pulling the boxers from him. His first port of call was Hayden's right leg. His hands smoothed over his calf. His lips traced the scar and all pain was forgotten as Hayden dissolved into memories and bliss.

  He lay there, a slave to Dylan's mouth as his lips moved up his inner thigh, into his groin, a tongue flicking over the head of his hard cock, before he sucked it down. Hayden gripped Dylan's hair. "Oh please, God, I want you."

  Dylan rose to his knees. He was shirtless and shoeless but still wore his pants. He discarded his utility belt, the gun and Taser on it falling with a heavy thud to the floor. He reached into his back pocket, drawing a condom free, and some lube. Prepared. Intending to fuck Hayden the moment he came through the door. Hayden trembled with desire. Dylan didn't strip. He only pushed his pants and boxers down his thighs and rolled the rubber on.

  Then he gripped Hayden, pulling him on top of him. Hayden straddled his hips, flinching as Dylan rubbed cold liquid between his buttocks. Hayden reached behind him. He panted with excitement as he gripped Dylan's shaft, steadying it as he sank down.

  Impaled, he gasped for breath, willing himself open as he took every inch. The pain was pleasure. Never had Hayden come close to this with another man in the twelve years since he met Dylan and never had he wanted to. That part of him had been locked away, waiting for Dylan to come with the key.

  Dylan's flesh was a rock-hard, pulsing intrusion. Hayden sat with hands braced on his lover's chest, moving himself with slow turns of his pelvis. Dylan hissed in pleasure, hands on Hayden's hips.

  Hayden leaned back, riding him, his own cock twitching and standing up to his belly. Dylan's hand
enclosed it. He pumped it slowly and steadily and Hayden bucked and ground down harder.

  Dylan cursed low under his breath. His other hand sought Hayden's torso, stroking, caressing every inch.

  Hayden lost his breath. He slid forward, his chest pressed against Dylan's. They kissed. Dylan held him hard and Hayden came in a scorching flood down Dylan's body.

  Dylan gripped his hips, thrusting into his body and Hayden continued his movements until Dylan came to climax.

  His lover lay back, breathing heavily, sweat gleaming on his upper lip. Never had Hayden seen such a beautiful sight. Their lips met. Dylan murmured his love.

  ****

  They lay together in the afterglow, watching the ceiling fan turning lazily as it evaporated the sweat from their bodies.

  Dylan glanced over at Hayden. "Did you tell your wife about us?"

  "Yes. I had to. I told her as soon as I got home."

  "And she didn't leave you?"

  "No. She was hurt and she cried but she never once threatened to leave. She loved me more than I deserved."

  Dylan's fingers laced with his.

  Hayden took a breath and then continued. "When… it got closer to the end, she told me to go find you. After she'd gone."

  Their eyes locked. Dylan swallowed, his eyes brimming. "She was a special lady."

  "Yes."

  "I hope I can do her justice."

  They leaned into each other.

  "You can," Hayden said as their lips touched.

  Some time later, he thought to ask Dylan about his man. "He's gone," Dylan said. "He expected you to come back, sooner or later."

  "He looked just like me."

  "I know. I'm ashamed that he knew that, too."

  Hayden sighed. "What do you want to do?"

  "Live with you. Love you."

  "I can't live at your house. Not when you were there seven years with him. And you can't live at mine."

  They were silent. "Do you still have Boots?" Hayden asked.

  Dylan chuckled. "Yeah. He's a senior citizen now, bless him."

  "I'm glad. You and Boots, you make a great team."

  Dylan leaned on his arm, looking down at him, brushing some hair away from Hayden's eyes. "Sell your house. We'll buy somewhere new."

  "In Blackstone?"

  "If you can bear being in the middle of nowhere. We have a shortage of good dentists."

  Hayden smiled. "Dylan, can I ask you a favour?"

  "Sure."

  "Will you open your mouth and let me look at your fantastic teeth?"

  Dylan rolled on top of him, grinning. "I hope you don't mean this in a fetishistic kind of way."

  "Not much." Hayden groaned in pleasure as he looked up into Dylan's open mouth. "Wonderful, just wonderful. If everyone had teeth like you, I'd be out of a job."

  Dylan kissed him on one clavicle. He slid down Hayden's body and Hayden watched the progress of his mouth down his torso. He squirmed under every kiss, his body on fire.

  "I knew you were the man for me when I saw your teeth."

  Dylan lifted his head, flashing his pearly whites again. He licked one stiff nipple, making Hayden groan. "I knew you were the man for me when I asked you to breathe on me and I smelled chocolate. You stood so close to me, I almost kissed you in that moment. My heart started to beat so hard it hurt. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I thought I was about to have a heart attack."

  Hayden stroked his head. "I'm sorry you had to wait so long."

  "You were worth it."

  "I want my life to start now that I'm where I should be."

  "It will. I promise." Dylan shifted back over him. Their lips clung together in a sweet kiss.

  Hayden's torment and deceit blew away. The sins of the past were lost into time. His penance for his infidelity had been the loss of Dylan for twelve years; he knew that. But now he was ready to take charge of his destiny and take what he needed.

  For a moment, he thought of his time with Julianna, and her death. He locked those memories away in a special place in his heart, for now it was time to open the casket he had forbidden himself from ever looking inside, and let Dylan free.

  THE END

  About the Author

  Scarlet likes cats and hats and firmly believes that the only thing better than one attractive man is two attractive men.

  Email:

  scarlet.blackwell@hotmail.com

  Webpage:

  http://scarletblackwell.com/default.aspx

  Blog:

  http://scarlet-fiction.livejournal.com/

  Facebook:

  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001135500060

  Also by Scarlet Blackwell:

  Available at Silver Publishing:

  Rescue Me

  Anthology, Volume 1

  Sanctuary

  Snowbound

  CLEAR WATER CREEK CHRONICLES

  Into the Light

  Smashed into Pieces

  WAR TALES

  Half a Man (Sept. 10)

  Available at All Romance Ebooks:

  Stand and Deliver

  Life Class

  Just Desserts

  Second Helpings

  Beached Hearts

  The Vampire's Prisoner

  And So Is Love

  Love Bites

  Of Genies and Sea Monsters in Myths and Magic: Legends of Love

  The Unlikely Vampire in Just One Bite, Volume 1

  The Last Supper

  The Golden Haired Boy

  On the Wings of the Vampire

  The Captain's Man

  Sin Row

  The Captain's Beloved

  Available at Dreamspinner Press:

  Apathy

  The King's Man

  Secondhand Heart

  ** Please note: the dates above are subject to change **

  Reviews for Rescue Me:

  Rescue Me by Scarlet Blackwell is a character driven, angst-filled, heart-wrenching, soul redeeming, romantic story with one of the best endings I've read in a long time.

  (5 stars — Top Pick)

  — Night Owl Reviews

  … Rescue Me is an impressive story that illustrates love has no gender, in spite of predetermined thoughts. Scarlet Blackwell has created an exceedingly enjoyable saga.

  (4 ½ nymphs)

  — Literary Nymphs

  Reviews for Into the Light:

  Into the Light by Scarlet Blackwell is powerful and filled with remorse, sadness, misunderstanding, tension, angst, anxiety and hope. I wasn't expecting to run the gauntlet of these emotions and more while reading about Sean and Eden, but once I started I couldn't put it down.

  (5 stars — Recommended Read)

  — Delightful Divas