by Carol Lynne
Asa threw back the covers before sliding between the sheets. His initial reaction was to argue about the purchase of a home in Lobster Cove. It didn’t make sense for Mario to spend his savings on something that wouldn’t put a dent in Asa’s bank account, but he knew it was Mario’s sense of pride that had prompted the request. “How about this, I’ll buy enough land to build a home and a landing strip, and you can design and pay for the house.”
After tossing the bottle of lube onto the bed, Mario insinuated himself between Asa’s spread thighs. “Buy land for your plane if you want, but I’d rather get something in town.” He leaned down and gave Asa a quick kiss. “I miss having neighbors.”
The feel of Mario’s naked body on top of him went a long way to convince Asa he could handle nosy neighbors if it meant he could shut them out and be alone with the man he loved. He buried his face against Mario’s thick black hair and inhaled—coconut. The smell of Mario’s shampoo always reminded him of the week they’d spent in Hawaii. “Do we have to be friendly to them?”
Mario nipped Asa’s chin before soothing it with a swipe of his tongue. “Don’t worry. I’ll be the friendly one. You can be the town curmudgeon.”
“I’ll be anything you want me to be.” Asa applied pressure to Mario’s shoulders, silently asking for what he needed.
“Love you,” Mario whispered, inching his way down Asa’s body.
Asa moaned at the bite of pain when Mario’s teeth clamped down on his nipple. It had been Mario who’d taught him that making love didn’t always have to be sweet and slow.
Mario reached over and grabbed the lube. “Need in you, babe. Need to remind you that you’re mine.”
“Always.” Asa felt a cold, slick finger circle his puckered hole and closed his eyes. “Not going anywhere. It took me forty-seven years to find you.”
Mario pushed a finger inside Asa. “I’m the one who found you.”
“Liar.” Asa bit his lip. God he loved the way Mario touched him. It was like every move he made was meant to please. “I took one look at you that day at the gym and wanted you.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t do shit about it. I’m the one who had to wear you down,” Mario shot back.
“Don’t even start.” Asa grinned. It was an ongoing argument—one neither would concede to being wrong about. Mario added another finger and it no longer mattered who made the first play because Asa had everything he’d ever needed. He stared down at the man who had quickly become his entire world. Even if the sex between them hadn’t been so damn explosive, he would still love Mario. Other than the ongoing disagreements about work, the two of them fit so perfectly together. “Want to feel your mouth on me.”
Mario licked his way up Asa’s length to capture the tip.
“Oh, fuck,” Asa moaned. He was moments away from coming as Mario’s skilled tongue and fingers pleasured his body to perfection. As much as he hated to stop his partner, he wasn’t a young man and it would take a while to get hard again if he lost his grip on his control. “In me,” he croaked.
Mario gave the crown of Asa’s cock one last swipe before sitting up. “Turn over.”
Asa groaned, knowing exactly what the tone in Mario’s voice meant. He rolled to his stomach before bracing himself on his hands and knees. The sharp slap to his ass confirmed his previous thought. Although the sting to his flesh was delicious, as usual, he wasn’t sure he had the energy to play the game after his long day. He glanced over his shoulder and met Mario’s smoldering gaze. “Not too many of those. I’ve been sitting on a fucking plane for hours.”
One corner of Mario’s mouth quirked up in a wicked grin as he soothed his palm over the reddened mark he’d imprinted on Asa’s butt. “Okay, I’ll go easy on your ass.” He leaned over and bit Asa’s shoulder blade.
Asa winced as Mario’s teeth sank into his flesh hard enough to leave a damn good dental impression. He was thankful Mario marked him in places only the two of them could see because going into a business meeting with welts or hickeys wouldn’t work. “Do I taste good?”
“The best.” Mario pressed the head of his cock against Asa’s hole and rocked his way inside. Still draped over Asa’s back he hummed and laved his handiwork. “You’re the only man I’ll ever put my mark on.”
Asa melted at the words because he knew it was Mario-speak for a life of togetherness no matter what. “I love you, too.”
“One more,” Mario said a split second before another smack landed on Asa’s ass. He followed the blow by surging as deep into Asa as he could get.
“Fuck!” Asa barked through gritted teeth as his body stretched to accommodate Mario’s girth. He fisted the soft gray sheets under his hands and braced himself for more.
Mario pulled out before slamming in again. “Goddamn, we’ve only been apart for two and a half days and you already feel tight.”
With each thrust of Mario’s hips, Asa was reminded why he hated to be away from home. He pushed back, hoping to prove to Mario how much he wanted him because despite the fact that Mario was far better looking, he still worried that Asa would find someone else on his travels. The whole idea was insane to Asa. Before Mario, the only men in Asa’s bed had treated him with kid gloves in deference to his money, but Mario was different. Mario didn’t give a flying fuck about Asa’s money, something that had been hard for him to understand in the beginning. “You feel so good. I love you so much.”
Predictably, Mario didn’t reply, preferring to use actions instead of words. He kissed the bite on Asa’s shoulder before moving to the opposite side and marking him there as well.
The pain combined with the punishing rhythm of Mario’s cock in and out of him hurtled Asa headlong into his climax. “Fuck!” he howled, drawing out the word as he splattered the sheets with cum. He watched his seed soak into the high thread count bedding and grinned when he realized it was Mario’s side of the bed.
Mario let out a string of grunts and groans as his body shuddered with the force of his orgasm. “Jesus Christ, babe,” he gasped before collapsing on top of Asa.
Sandwiched between the mattress and his hunky Italian, Asa sighed. The two of them still needed to work on a set travel schedule to and from Lobster Cove, but at least he was certain they’d spend as much time together as possible.
Chapter Four
Cullen adjusted the pillow under his head and tried once again to get comfortable. The large sectional should have been the perfect spot to crash for the night, but he couldn’t relax enough to fall asleep.
“Wanna play one of the new Xbox games I brought?” Snake asked before shoving a spoonful of Froot Loops into his mouth.
Cullen shook his head. “No thanks,” he mumbled. “It’s been a long day. I thought I’d just try to get some sleep.”
“You should take Joseph’s room. He’ll probably stay at the hospital anyway.” Snake lifted his feet to the coffee table and crossed his ankles.
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.” Cullen couldn’t imagine sleeping in Joseph’s bed after what had happened between them earlier in the day.
Snake continued to eat his cereal without a word, and Cullen wanted to scream at the man for keeping him awake. “Is there something else you needed?” Cullen finally asked.
“He has feelings for you.” Snake stood and walked toward the kitchen without another word.
Cullen threw off his covers and followed him. “What the fuck, Snake? You can’t say something like that and walk off.”
Snake refilled his cereal bowl before pouring fresh milk over it. “I was coming back.” He gestured to his food. “I just needed more.”
Cullen leaned against the island and crossed his arms over his chest. “What did you mean by that comment? Who’s the he in ‘he has feelings for you’?”
Snake shrugged before digging into his cereal. “Joseph,” he replied around a mouthful of Froot Loops. “He called earlier to make sure you’d made it back safely and asked me to keep an eye on you. I think you being her
e worries him.” He took another bite. “His voice changes when he talks about you just like mine does when I talk about Riley.”
Cullen thought of the way Joseph had spoken to him at the hospital. “It’s not tenderness you detected in his voice.” He sighed. “It’s guilt. He told me earlier that it was time I moved on.”
Snake lifted the bowl to his mouth and tipped it back, drinking the sugary leftover milk. “You’re not giving up on him, are you?”
In an attempt to avoid the question, he changed the subject. “If Asa goes through with the Lobster Cove deal, I’m going to work for him as the go-between guy.” He turned away from Snake’s assessing gaze. “I think I’ll go ahead and use Joseph’s room,” he said, needing some time alone. “See you in the morning.”
Cullen grabbed the pillow and blanket off the sofa on his way down the hall to Joseph’s bedroom. Once inside, he turned on the light and leaned against the door. It was the first time he’d ever stepped foot in the private space, and the subtle smell of Joseph’s citrus cologne surrounded him. He inhaled deeply as he remembered the first time he’d gotten close enough to Joseph to smell that wonderful scent.
Cullen dabbed at the blood dripping from his split lip as Willy continued to hold him against the brick wall. The grip Willy had on his neck meant his pimp meant business, so Cullen kept his mouth shut and listened.
“I don’t know where the fuck you were last night, but you owe me money,” Willy growled.
Cullen winced when Willy’s spit landed on his cheek. There was no way in hell he could tell his pimp he’d been shadowing Joseph as he roamed the most dangerous section of town in search of homeless teens. He still didn’t know why he’d done it. Maybe Joseph always looked so damn sad. Maybe because he wished he’d had a guardian angel like Joseph when he’d stepped foot off the bus in DC.
“Are you fucking listening to me?”
Cullen nodded as much as he could. He had a few bucks in his pocket that he’d planned to use to buy a warmer coat. “I’ve got about sixty bucks. You can have it.” Making sure Joseph was safe was worth a damn winter coat.
“Is there a problem here?” a deep voice asked.
Cullen looked away from Willy and into Joseph’s bright blue eyes.
“Get lost,” Willy demanded.
“I can’t do that,” Joseph replied. He pulled out his cell phone. “You leave me no choice but to call the police.”
Willy released Cullen before stalking toward Joseph.
“No!” Cullen yelled, moving to stand between the two men. He shoved his hand into his pocket and withdrew the money he’d saved. “Here. Take it, and I promise to make up the money tonight.” He swallowed the bile in his throat as he cupped the front of Willy’s jeans. Having sex with Willy was the most disgusting part of his job, but he knew it would appease the slime. “I can come by in the morning after I’m finished if you want?”
Willy narrowed his eyes. “Bring Mandy with you and you’ve got a deal.”
Cullen shook his head. He drew the line at offering Mandy to Willy. “Mandy’s got the flu. I don’t think you want her puking all over you.”
“Then bring Carlos,” Willy ordered.
Cullen jerked his head in acceptance, hating that the needed conversation was taking place in front of Joseph.
Willy grinned, and Cullen made the mistake of relaxing. “Good. You know where to find me.” He glanced at Joseph over Cullen’s shoulder. “By the way…”
Before Cullen had a chance to brace himself, Willy’s fist slammed into his stomach. Cullen dropped to his knees as he struggled to catch his breath.
Willy jabbed his finger at Joseph. “If you ever try to get between me and one of my boys again, I’ll fucking kill you.”
Cullen scooted back toward Joseph, knowing Willy meant every word. “He won’t,” he said, hoping Willy would leave Joseph alone.
Willy nudged Cullen with the toe of his heavy boot. “Get to work.”
Cullen nodded but didn’t meet Willy’s gaze. He waited until he heard the sound of Willy walking away before breathing a sigh of relief. “You should go,” he told Joseph as he struggled to get to his feet.
Joseph gripped Cullen under the arms and helped him to stand before turning Cullen to face him. He dug a white handkerchief out of his pocket and held it to Cullen’s lip. “You don’t have to suffer this kind of abuse. Come back to the shelter with me.”
Cullen had pointed several kids toward the Rainbow Youth Shelter, so he knew they had a strict age requirement—a restriction he didn’t meet. “I can’t.” He gestured to the street. “I belong out here.”
“No you don’t.” Joseph handed Cullen the handkerchief before resting his hands on Cullen’s shoulders. “You deserve to have people around who genuinely care about you. You can find that at the shelter.”
Cullen ran his tongue over the split in his lip. After the night he’d met Joseph and Phillip in the alley, he’d fantasized about having someone as pure as Joseph at his side, but as he stared into those big blue eyes, he knew in his heart he’d never be good enough. Phillip had been the perfect partner for a man like Joseph. The two of them seemed so at peace when they were together. It was that sense of peace that had been missing from Joseph’s eyes since he’d lost Phillip.
“Please,” Joseph begged.
Cullen shook his head. “I can’t.” He inhaled the citrus scent of Joseph’s cologne before stepping back. “You’re doing a good thing, Father, but you need to do your searching during the day. These streets are no place for a man like you after dark.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve begged God to take me and evidently he doesn’t want me yet.”
The statement prompted Cullen to look down at the scars on his wrists. “Yeah, God doesn’t want me either.”
Cullen let out a sob as he opened his eyes. Other than a full-size bed, dresser and simple straight-back chair in the corner, the space was sparse. He covered his mouth with his hand as he walked farther into the room. When he stopped to look at the pictures on the dresser, another cry of pain left him. There, along with multiple pictures of Joseph and Phillip together, was a single picture of him.
Wiping his tears away with one hand, he picked up the framed photo with the other. It was one Oggie had taken of Cullen making a snow angel. Warmth filled him at the thought of Joseph caring enough about the picture to set it alongside those of Phillip. Just as quickly as it had started, the warmth left him. The photo didn’t mean a damn thing. Joseph had made up his mind, and nothing Cullen could say would change that.
He set the frame back onto the dresser face down before picking up his pillow and blanket. After one last look at the room, he turned off the light and retreated to the sofa.
* * * *
Cullen was surprised to find the entire city council onboard Asa’s plane when he stepped into the luxurious cabin. He handed his duffle to the flight attendant before finding an available seat. “Did I miss something?” he asked Mario.
Mario leaned over and spoke in a low tone. “Asa wanted everyone who’ll have a say in the construction and revitalization on this trip.” He grinned over at Asa, who was seated at a table with Ryan, Nate and Rio. “I hear you’ll be our site manager. Congratulations.”
“I tried to tell Asa I’m not qualified, but he insisted.” Cullen still felt weird about his new job because although he knew what the shelter would need to make it work, he only had a few years construction experience.
“It’s not about being qualified. Asa doesn’t trust easily when it comes to handing out his money. He’s seen your work at Second Chance and knows you’ll spend his cash wisely.” Mario jabbed Cullen with his elbow. “Smart move in my opinion. It’ll give him the peace of mind he needs and give you real-life experience and a good paycheck.”
Cullen had spoken to Mandy at length about Asa’s offer, and she’d agreed to hire a temporary replacement until the Lobster Cove project was completed. He still couldn’t believe how quickly Asa’s money m
ade things happen. It had only been two days since he and Asa had visited the small town.
“They’re over there dividing addresses,” Mario said.
“What?” Cullen looked back at the assembled group.
“They’ll go to all the existing residents and try to buy them out. If that doesn’t work, they’ll explain, in detail, our plans for the community.” Mario shrugged. “If they aren’t tolerant of our lifestyle, they’ll probably jump at the chance to sell.”
“It’s kind of sad,” Cullen mumbled. “I mean, I’m proud of what we’ll be building, but I feel bad for the folks who’ve been trying to hold onto their homes and businesses despite the town’s demise.”
“I can understand that, but don’t forget about all the people who have had to live surrounded by assholes who hate them simply for who they love. You should see the stack of applications we’ve been going through. Some are from couples who want to raise their children in an open environment, some nearly desperate to get away from the small-town mentality they’re living in.” Mario readjusted himself in the seat. “There’s a real need for another place like Cattle Valley. What Asa’s doing, what we’re all doing, is worth it.”
Cullen had been born in a small, predominantly Southern Baptist, town, so he understood. He felt better after talking to Mario. “Hey, not to change the subject, but there’s a sixteen-year-old at the shelter that I think could really benefit from a talk with Kit.”
Mario’s black eyebrows rose in question.
“Zander’s struggling with his desire to be the person he feels like inside. He was punished for it in the past and made to feel guilty about it from one of the other guys at the shelter,” Cullen explained. “I told him about Kit, and he seemed interested.”
“Does Zander identify as a he or she?” Mario asked.
Cullen shook his head. “I don’t know. To be honest, I’m not sure he knows. He likes to wear women’s clothes, and I believe he’s gay, but whether or not he wants to live his life as a woman he hasn’t said.”