by Vicki Tharp
Damn, Elijah was gooood.
“I... um... I mean...” One look in those eyes and whatever inane thing Alex had thought of to say vanished. His mind... fucking blank.
Where was his catcher to give him the signs? Could he call ‘time’ and have a mound visit?
Any second now, Niko would say ‘cut,’ if Alex didn’t get his shit together. With the camera, Vin edged closer and closer.
Ignore the camera. Focus on Elijah.
Alex started, “About that bonus...”
Elijah fisted Alex’s tie and grinned. “Don’t worry about the rumors of underpayment.” Elijah pushed Alex back, step by step until the cold glass of the window pressed against his back. “You’re going to get what’s coming to you.”
The way Elijah’s voice dipped, low and slow and deliberate with that edge of dominance cutting through—Jesus Christ—had the pre-cum dampening Alex’s jock.
Then Elijah’s mouth crashed into his. Not the timid taste of that first night. Elijah was all tongue and teeth and nips and sin. It took Alex aback for the briefest of seconds before he returned Elijah’s kiss.
God, he’d missed those lips.
Alex tasted the mint on Elijah’s tongue, smelled the clean scent of soap on his heated skin. Angling his head, Elijah took the kiss deeper, while his hands tore at the knot in Alex’s tie.
The buttons popped on Alex’s collar, and Elijah pulled the tie over Alex’s head, then dove back into the kiss. With his eyes closed, Alex sensed more than saw Vin move closer with the camera. They had yet to hear any direction from Niko, so they kept going.
Elijah shifted, his muscled thigh going between Alex’s legs and pressing against his crotch. It was all Alex could do not to grind against it.
Why are you fighting it? Because you’re afraid for anyone to know you like it?
Maybe.
It’s a fucking porn shoot, you’re being paid to look like you want it.
Damn straight.
Alex thrust against Elijah’s leg, ripping a guttural groan from the back of Elijah’s throat that made it impossible for Alex to keep his damn hands to himself. With speed and a focused determination, he worked his way down the buttons on Elijah’s shirt as Elijah kissed and sucked his way down Alex’s neck. One of Elijah’s hands slid around and squeezed Alex’s ass.
As soon as all the buttons on Elijah’s shirt were undone, Elijah broke the kiss and stripped it off, tossing it away. Alex blew out a breath. He’d forgotten how beautiful the man was.
“Like what you see?”
Elijah was built more compact, his muscles more dense than Alex—his pecs, thick slabs of muscle, his abs cut with a thin trail of hair leading from the bottom of his belly button down beneath the waistband of his pants.
“I like.” Alex wanted to touch, to feel, to—
Elijah swatted Alex’s hand away. “Ah, ah, ah. This is your bonus, not mine.”
Then Elijah grabbed each side of Alex’s shirt and pulled. The buttons went popping and flying. One of them plinked as it bounced off the lens of the camera. Elijah yanked the shirt off Alex’s shoulders and down his forearms, but the buttons at the cuffs remained fastened, effectively handcuffing Alex.
As he struggled to free himself, Elijah put his large hand on the center of Alex’s sternum and pushed him back against the window. “Relax. It’s my turn to repay all the hard work.”
Alex had never dallied with any type of bondage, and as bondage went, having his hands cuffed by a shirt was probably basic level kink, but damn...
With his arms trapped behind him, it made his chest bow out, more on display than he’d ever been in a stadium full of screaming fans. His jockstrap shrunk a size, and all Alex wanted to do was pull his cock free and find relief.
He glanced down at Elijah who had a wicked, wicked grin on his face. The man knew what effect he was having on Alex. Slowly, Elijah trailed his hand down Alex’s chest. Goosebumps exploded, and sweat broke out into a glistening sheen on his skin.
Elijah edged closer, his erection pressing against Alex’s hip as he licked and nibbled on Alex’s earlobe. “Tell me what you want,” Elijah whispered, but it was more than a whisper because it had to be loud enough for the mics to pick up.
Even though others watched, Elijah’s words sounded close and intimate, and Alex imagined the two of them, alone, and with all the time in the world to explore each other’s bodies, to find what brought them both pleasure and satisfaction.
Elijah tugged Alex’s belt free and with a twist of his wrist, undid the clasp on Alex’s slacks, the zipper easily sliding down as Elijah pulled the two halves of Alex’s fly apart.
Alex flexed his hips, aching for Elijah’s touch. With a nip to Alex’s chin, Elijah said, “You want my hand on your cock?”
Alex’s head fell back, thumping against the glass, and his breathing picked up. The muscles in his shoulders pulled and ached from having his arms restrained, but it was a good kind of pain. The kind of pain that had him squirming and straining for a different type of release.
Yeah, he wanted Elijah’s hand on his cock, but the words refused to come. Alex nodded.
“Use your words,” Elijah said, his fingers ghosting across Alex’s lower abdomen at the waistband of his King Dong jockstrap.
Elijah pulled far enough away to look at Alex’s face. Elijah’s pupils were almost blown, and his breaths became rushed and shallow. He was as affected as Alex, which made Alex feel emboldened.
“I want you to grab my cock.”
Devilment played in Elijah’s eyes as his hand slipped beneath the waistband of Alex’s jock, those thick, strong fingers reaching down and cupping his balls.
Alex’s head fell back with another bang against the glass, the thump radiating around his skull as he ground against Elijah’s hand. Then Elijah’s hot, wet mouth landed on Alex’s nipple, and he couldn’t swallow down the moan. Elijah’s tongue tortured his nipple as Elijah took hold of Alex’s shaft and began stroking.
So. Much. Need.
Alex struggled against his fabric handcuffs, needing to touch, to control, to sate. As much as he enjoyed Elijah’s manhandling, there was something to be said for active participation.
Pre-cum leaked from Alex like a faucet with a faulty washer, his balls sucked up tight against his body. Fluid liberally coated Elijah’s hand as Elijah worked his palm and fingers over the head of Alex’s cock, his grip firm and strong.
“Both of you lose the pants and the jocks,” Niko said from off set.
The words jarred and pulled Alex out of the moment, but he toed out of his shoes and Elijah stripped off his own clothes, kneeling to pull off Alex’s pants.
At his feet, Elijah raked his gaze up Alex’s body, inch by inch, past the tremble in his thighs, past the jutting of his erection, past the quiver in his belly, past the tumble of his heart in his chest, until their eyes met. Niko, Vin, the set, the lights... disappeared.
Alex couldn’t take the sweet torture any longer. He lowered his voice, not caring if the mics picked up his words. “Free me.”
Elijah stood, pressing his body against Alex’s, thigh to thigh, pelvis to pelvis, cock to good-god-glorious cock.
Elijah didn’t have Alex beat on length, but he had Alex on girth.
Sweat trickled down Alex’s chest as Elijah reached around and manipulated the buttons on the shirt cuffs. As soon as Alex’s hands were free, he put them on Elijah’s shoulders and turned, shoving Elijah back against the window. The set rattled, Elijah’s breath caught, and his eyes went wide a fraction before a bring-it-on grin creased his face.
Vin swung into a better position, catching Alex’s eye, but as Alex rubbed his body up against Elijah’s, their pre-cum mixing on their bellies, all Alex wanted was to put his mouth on Elijah.
Which wasn’t in the script.
Alex didn’t think too hard about what that meant.
He went where his desires led.
Elijah’s arms wrapped around Alex’s head, pulling Ale
x into the crook of his neck. Alex scraped his teeth along the tender skin, a shudder running through Elijah’s body.
In Elijah’s ear, Alex said, “I want to suck you off.”
This hadn’t been part of Niko’s plan and Alex wanted to make sure Elijah was good with it. If Niko heard, if he had any objections to the change in plans, he didn’t say anything.
Elijah thumped his head against the window twice, the cords in his neck straining, his throat working, trying to form words. Elijah grunted his consent, and as Alex licked and sucked his way down Elijah’s torso, Elijah didn’t stop him.
Dropping to his knees, Alex became aware of Vin going down on his own to get the best camera angle. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought Niko said, “go with it,” but that could have been his imagination. Alex skimmed his fingers through the neatly trimmed mat of hair surrounding Elijah’s cock before gripping the base.
Elijah strained in Alex’s hand. So hard and thick. Alex looked up, past the drop of pre-cum on Elijah’s tip to his scene mate’s hooded, heated gaze.
Alex stuck his tongue out and licked the drop from Elijah’s slit. The taste of salt made his own dick drip. Elijah’s head fell back, a groan tearing from his lips as his fingers tangled in Alex’s hair.
Then Alex took Elijah deep, and the man shuddered and pulsed in Alex’s mouth.
“Ahh, fuuuck.” Elijah’s hand went to the back of Alex’s head as he thrust deeper down his throat.
Using his hands, his mouth, his lips, his tongue, Alex worked and worked, bringing Elijah to the ragged edge. Alex’s own balls lay heavy and in dire need of relief.
“Like that, babe,” Elijah muttered between harsh pants. “Suck that cock.”
Alex sucked him faster and harder, Elijah’s cock hitting the back of his throat and threatening to make him gag, but he refused to stop.
“I’m coming,” Elijah ground out as he tried to pull Alex off, but Alex wasn’t having it.
He took Elijah deep, once, twice more before Elijah stiffened, and the pulse of Elijah’s cum against Alex’s fingers at Elijah’s base arrived a second before he tasted the spunk on his tongue. He sucked and swallowed, Elijah’s moans of pleasure making his own dick throb.
Then Elijah sank against the window, pulling Alex up off his knees. Alex’s hand went to his dick and started pumping furiously, but Elijah knocked his hand away and took over.
With one arm around Elijah’s neck, Alex pulled him in tight, their bodies sweaty and slick, the scent of sex heavy in the air, and the taste of Elijah on his tongue.
As aroused as Alex was, it wasn’t going to take much to make him come. Alex thrust into Elijah’s hand as Elijah stroked over the head again and again. The base of Alex's spine tingled, and his body shook as the climax short circuited his system.
Alex sank against Elijah as he milked him dry, Alex’s breath hot, his lungs billowing. He pressed his forehead against Elijah’s not caring who was watching or listening. “I hope that was okay.”
“Jesus Christ.” Elijah chuckled, as he caught his breath. That should have been the end. Niko should have called cut, but with a hand to the back of his neck, Elijah pulled Alex in for one last kiss. This one sweet and tender. “Yeah, that was more than okay.”
“And cut!”
Elijah shrugged into the robe Sebastian brought him and started walking off the set when all he wanted to do was pull Alex aside and do what they’d done all over again, but this time without the cameras and the captive audience.
In the weeks since their first scene, their connection and chemistry had only intensified. He figured all that time apart with nothing to think about but when you might get your hands on each other again, kind of did that to you.
If Alex was interested in seeing him outside of Black Stallion, he wanted to make sure Alex didn’t leave without getting his number.
Darius came skipping down the hall and around the corner riding an invisible stick pony and swinging a lariat, the fresh-from-the-farm kid not far behind him. “Come on, cowboy, let Darius take your sweet white ass for a ride.”
Alex gave Elijah a nudge. “This should be worth sticking around for.”
Elijah chuckled. “No kidding.”
“You can’t go back there. Peter. Peter.” Rose’s heels clackity clack clacked on the concrete floors.
A man who Elijah assumed was Peter, brushed past Darius and the new guy with Rose running after him.
“I’m sorry, Niko,” Rose said, “I tried to stop him.”
“It’s okay, Rose—”
“No, Rose, it’s not okay. Nothing is okay.” Peter’s flushed face made him look like he’d been drinking, but Elijah didn’t detect any slurring beneath the rage.
“Peter.” Niko’s voice remained calm and patient the way a parent’s does when their toddler is pitching a fit in the middle of the toy store. “This isn’t the right time or place.”
“According to you, there is never a right time or place. So, I’m making it here. Now.” Peter couldn’t have been older than his mid twenties, though he’d clearly perfected teen drama.
Niko removed his reading glasses and set them and his clipboard aside. “The studio is my first priority. I made that clear from the start.”
His voice ratcheting up with each sentence, Niko said, “How do you think I can afford the house, the car, the trips, and all the toys you like, if I don’t work?”
Peter gaped at Niko, the truth a smack-smack to the face.
After a calming breath, Niko lowered his voice. “I never made you any promises.”
“You want me to get rid of him, boss?” Vin stepped forward and clasped a hand around Peter’s bicep.
Peter shoved Vin away and got in Niko’s face. He was slender, slight, femme. And very pretty for a man. “Which one of them are you fucking, because you certainly aren’t fucking me.”
Niko patted the air with his hands in a calm-the-fuck-down kind of way. “Let’s go to my office.”
“I’ll take him, boss.”
Peter took a step back but didn’t turn to leave. Elijah started to wonder if it would take all of them working together to get Peter out of the building.
“Is it him?” Peter pointed an accusatory finger at Vin. “It’s him, isn’t it? You two spend an awful lot of late nights here. Filming. Editing. Is that all you do? He’s your type. Young and—”
“It’s not like that. He works for me. I pulled him off the streets for crying out loud.”
“To fuck.”
“No, not to fuck. Peter, listen to me. I don’t shit where I work. He means nothing—” Niko cut himself off and closed his eyes for a second when it hit him what he’d said.
“Jesus Christ.” He turned his attention to Vin and said, “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded, I—”
“I know what you meant, boss.” Vin’s voice didn’t crack, and his expression didn’t change, but Vin appeared to shrink before Elijah’s eyes.
“You’ve completely lost your mind, Peter. I’ve had enough. It’s over.”
Peter laughed, one of those nervous laughs comedians have when they’re the only ones laughing at their jokes. “Hard for something to be over when you were never in it to begin with.”
“I think you need to leave. Vin, will you show—” Niko glanced around. “Where did Vin go?”
Elijah looked at Alex. Alex looked at Darius. Darius looked at Sebastian and Rose. They all looked around.
“I never saw him leave,” Rose said.
“That cat split.” Darius made a vroot sound, like fabric ripping. “Someone accused me of sleeping with the boss, and I’d skate too, man. No offense, Niko.”
“It’s okay. I’ll find him.” Niko held his hand out toward the hallway. A silent invitation for Peter to leave. “Come on, Peter. I’ll show you out.”
After the two men left, Darius said, “That was aaawkwaaard. Am I right?”
Sebastian rolled his eyes and walked away.
“What?” Darius rais
ed his arms out to the side. “I’m saying what everyone else is thinking. Don’t be getting your pink panties in a twist.”
Without turning around, Sebastian raised one hand and gave Darius the finger.
“Hey, man,” Darius called out. “Name the time and the place.”
Grant walked into the studio and bopped Darius upside the head and grumbled, “Knock it the fuck off.”
“Ow.” Darius backed toward the refreshment table along the rear wall. “I didn’t mean nothin’ by it.”
The cowboy rocked back and forth on his heels, apparently at a loss for words.
Elijah shook Grant’s hand, a simultaneous greeting, and goodbye. “I’m hitting the showers. I’ll see you guys around.”
“Same here.” Alex bumped his chin in Chet and Grant’s direction.
Elijah and Alex showered and dressed in silence, both lost in their own heads. He didn’t know what Alex was thinking, but personally, he couldn’t get the memory of Alex sucking him off out of his mind.
And while Alex had asked permission, and Elijah had not only climbed on board but rang the damn bell, he wasn’t leaving without letting Alex know how he felt.
“So,” Elijah finished tying his shoes and stood, “about that blow job...”
At the bank of lockers, Alex packed his dirty clothes into a gym bag with his back to Elijah. When he turned, he had a timid, I-really-don’t-want-to-hear-the-truth smile on his face, the red creeping up his neck. “That bad?”
Elijah chuckled. “That good.”
Alex tossed the bag on the bench, closed the locker door, and leaned back against it. Elijah glanced over his shoulder. There wasn’t a lock on the door to the communal showers, but from where they stood, and because of the way the door swung, they’d have a few seconds’ warning if anyone came in.
“I shouldn’t have changed what we’d agreed on,” Alex started, “that was a bullshit move, but with all the ad-libbing, I wanted... I thought...” Alex let the rest of the sentence drop.
“You wanna know what I thought?”