When the buzzer went off, he ate and grabbed another beer, thinking, the house sure feels empty.
Heading upstairs to his bedroom, he grabbed some clean clothes and went and took a shower, determined to think about nothing. As he washed his hair, he hummed a few bars of the latest hit on the radio. After he finished, he found himself in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection. He had been told on more than one occasion that he was a handsome man. He didn’t really see it.
His hair was black and wavy, reaching past his ears on its way to his shoulders. He skin was the dark olive of his ancestry. His brown eyes had lashes that his sisters wanted, with slashes of black eyebrows above them. He noticed he was on the verge of having a full beard, so out came the razor and cream. Tony didn’t shave every day. If he wanted the clean look, he would have to shave morning and night, and he wasn’t doing that. So he left it until it became too thick and then took care of it.
Now that he had checked on the horses and cleaned up, Tony went back into the bedroom and flopped on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, a thought popped into his head. The house sure was quiet. And empty.
Draping an arm over his face, he decided to quit fighting it. It was time to man up and decide what he really wanted. He thought about Shane and then Tyler. Tyler was so exciting and when everything about baseball hadn’t interfered, they had been so good together. Even though he had only known Shane for a few weeks, to Tony, he felt like a warm, solid home. That is if that home was possessive, dominating, and pushy. And maybe it was time to admit that Shane also made shivers of desire run up his spine.
Tony’s cell phone rang, bringing him out of his musings. Answering it, his eyes popped open when a voice he thought he never ever wanted to hear again said, “Tony, I am in town. Would you meet me at the hotel dining room?”
Tony couldn’t help asking, “Are you sure you want to take a chance at being seen with me in public?”
“Please, Tony. Just give me a chance to explain,” Tyler pleaded.
“All right, I’ll head over there.”
* * * *
Shane had looked around his brother’s house and then took a shower. Cade and Bret where holed up in their bedroom and he didn’t think he would see them until morning. Cade was still weak and the trip had tired him out.
When he couldn’t find anything that he wanted to eat in the refrigerator or freezer, he decided to go into town. He could admit he was feeling a little snarly. Shane wasn’t one to take it with grace when he had to do something he didn’t like. And he didn’t like giving Tony the evening without him.
Taking Cade’s truck, he started down the long driveway. As he was just getting to the road leading into town, Tony’s truck drove by. Without a second thought, Shane followed, knowing he would always follow Tony.
Tony pulled his truck into the hotel parking lot. Part of him was excited that Tyler wanted to see him. The other part was a mixture of feelings covering a wide spectrum of anger, fear, and betrayal. Tony also could be honest and admit he really didn’t want to put himself through the pain of seeing Tyler again.
Walking into the hotel dining room, he spotted Tyler sitting in one of the back booths. He was wearing a long-sleeved flannel shirt over a T-shirt and sunglasses. It was funny, but if Tyler wore a baseball hat, everyone recognized him. If he didn’t wear anything on his head, very few knew who he was.
“You look so good, Tony.” Tyler greeted him with a smile, taking off his sunglasses.
Tony couldn’t say the same. Tyler had black circles under his eyes and brackets of strain around the corners of his mouth.
“Why did you come here, Tyler?”
“I missed you. I don’t even know which way is up anymore. You got to help me, Tony.” Tyler leaned forward, pleading with him.
“Don’t you think you should be talking to your girlfriend, Tyler? You do remember that you chose to take a woman into your bed instead of me?”
“I’m so sorry, Tony. It was my mom. She called me every day, saying I had to do what was right for the family. She told me that she had given up too much to let me throw it away just because of you. She said it was my duty to let you go and she would help me give the press the right image of our family. She wouldn’t stop calling and she wouldn’t stop pushing. What was I supposed to do?”
Tony sat back and looked at the man he had thought he loved with every fiber of his body. Now he saw that they had both made mistakes. They had both let Janice Hayward manipulate them into doing what she wanted. Neither of them had communicated with the other on what was going on. Neither of them had been strong enough to stand up for their love. And it had died.
“Why did you come here, Tyler?” Tony asked again.
“I need you, Tony. I want you back. My mom has stopped calling. When I called the house, Dad said she was taking a break and he would call me in a couple of weeks, to talk. I’ve had a chance to think about things and I know what I want now, Tony, and it’s you.”
“What happens when the press starts sniffing around?”
“We would need to keep us a secret, for just a few more months, until the MVP for the year is announced. Then we can go away and really be together. It’s going to be so great, Tony. Just you and me,” Tyler answered, so excited, eyes shining.
“And then next year when baseball starts again?” Tony asked.
“Don’t you see, Tony? We don’t have to worry about that until the spring. We are free to do what we want until then. We’re going to be so happy, Tony. It’ll be just the two of us, together.”
Tony had heard enough. There were a lot of “needs” and “wants” in Tyler’s speech. But there hadn’t been one word of love. Tony was surprised when he realized it hadn’t even hurt when Tyler had described wanting him to become his dirty little secret again.
“No, Tyler, it’s not going to be great. You need to go home.”
“Please, Tony, don’t give up on us. We are so great together.” Tyler had tears in his eyes and he grabbed Tony’s hand lying on the table.
“Tyler, you gave us up a long time ago. Answer me one question.”
“Anything.”
“Before you came here, did you end your relationship with your girlfriend?” Tony saw the answer as the guilt spread across Tyler’s face. Then it hit him.
“You were going to keep the girlfriend as a front, even if I had come back to you? Weren’t you?” Tony was livid. What a fool he had been. To think he would have given this man everything, had withstood anything for him. Shane’s face came into his mind and a feeling of home filled Tony, and he knew what direction he should go.
“Good-bye, Tyler. I hope someday you find the strength to be who you really are, instead of whom everyone else thinks you should be.” Tony pulled his hand out from under Tyler’s and with one last look, stood up and left the table.
But as was Tony’s life, even grand exits didn’t go the way he thought they should. He had made it three steps away from the table, only to be brought up short by the sight of Shane, with his arms folded across his massive chest, standing by the door, staring right at him.
Chapter Ten
Tony walked across the distance separating them. He could see the possessiveness, relief, and some anger in Shane’s intense blue eyes. When Tony finally stood in front of him, Shane didn’t move. He just kept searching Tony’s face. Shane must have found the answers he was looking for because he unfolded his arms and wrapped one around Tony, bringing him into his body and kissing him in front of everyone. Tony could hear the whistles and catcalls from behind him as he braced his hands on the rock-hard muscles of Shane’s chest.
Shane finally loosened his hold and lifted his head. “Let’s go home, baby.” With his arm still around Tony’s shoulders, Shane ushered him out of the hotel to Cade’s truck.
“I have my truck parked over there,” Tony pointed out.
“Leave it. We’ll get it later.” Shane hit the button to unlock the truck and took Tony over to the passenger d
oor. After opening it and pushing Tony up into the cab, he reached around his lap and brought the seatbelt over, locking it into place. Shutting the door, Shane made his way back to the driver’s side.
On the drive back to Tony’s house, very little was said. Shane did ask, “Is everything settled with the ex, honey?”
Tony held back a chuckle at Shane’s pronouncement of the word ex. It said that Tyler was an ex, no ifs, ands, or buts. Tony would give Shane that, Tyler was an ex.
“Everything is settled, big guy.”
“Do I have to take care of anyone to keep it settled?”
“Nope.”
“Okay then. Just to keep everything out in the open between us. You should know that I didn’t like seeing his hand on yours.”
“I guess you’ll just have to punish me for that.” Tony couldn’t help smiling just a little.
“Oh, love, all you had to do was ask.” Shane’s hand came down on Tony’s thigh, squeezing and rubbing it, but not touching a little higher like Tony wanted him to. The truck may have sped up, though, just a little after that.
The front door of Tony’s house burst open, slamming against the wall of the entryway as Shane half carried, half dragged Tony into the foyer. A huge clang rang through the house when a large metal vase holding dried flowers tipped over onto the ceramic tile.
Refusing to let go of Tony’s lips, Shane managed to brace Tony against the wall near a couch in the living room. Lacing their fingers together, Shane pulled Tony’s arms above his head, stretching the man until he was on his tiptoes. Shane pressed his body against Tony’s and tried to see how far he could cram his tongue down his throat. Tony didn’t miss a beat in the rough handling. He proceeded to suck on Shane’s tongue like it was a lollypop.
As Shane continued to explore Tony’s mouth, he brought one of their hands to his shoulder and unlaced their fingers, putting Tony’s hand against his chest. With his free hand, Shane opened Tony’s jeans and freed his hard leaking cock. After a few firm, twisting stokes from base to tip that had Tony breaking their kiss and moaning into his neck, Shane let go of his prize and took a small step back. Freeing his other hand, Shane grabbed Tony around the waist and turned him facing the wall.
“I’ll hold you, baby. Take your shoes off,” Shane ordered.
Tony bent down and untied his shoes and took them off. As he straightened back up, Shane pulled his jeans and underwear off. Then Tony’s T-shirt was slowly pushed up his body, Shane’s big hands touching every piece of skin exposed, stopping to twist and pinch his nipples. Finally the shirt was tossed on the floor.
“Bend over and brace your hands on the wall, love. Where’s your slick?”
“In the table in front of the couch,” Tony answered, anticipation making his cock drip pre-cum onto the wooden floor beneath his bare feet.
Shane had stopped moving and Tony looked over his shoulder to see what was the matter. Shane was looking at him, a half-used tube of slick in his hand, eyebrow raised.
“What? See that sixty-four inch television on that wall? Do you know how good porn looks on that thing? Slick is essential.”
Shane could help but chuckle at his spitfire. Walking back, he took his clothes off. Dropping the tube at their feet, Shane put his arm over Tony’s back and grabbed him around the waist. With his free hand, he brought it down firmly on that luscious bubble butt.
Shane knew Tony’s shout was more surprise than pain and started a brisk rhythm, soon turning both cheeks a pretty red. Shane loved the feel of that warm reddened skin under his hand as he rubbed first one cheek then the other. The nonstop whimpers and the steady drip of pre-cum on the floor told Shane that Tony liked his spanking.
Scooping the tube up, Shane quickly coated his fingers and wasted no time rubbing around the rim of that tight rosette, loosening the muscles. Tony’s whimpers had turned into broken words of “please, put it in” and “I need something”. Shane pressed one finger in to the first knuckle. Giving Tony a moment to adjust, he then started fucking that pretty hole with his finger. It didn’t take long before Shane could add another finger. Scissoring them to open Tony wider, Shane added a third. By now Tony was pushing back and riding Shane’s fingers, just like Shane wanted him to ride his cock.
When Tony took one hand off the wall to grab his dick, Shane grabbed him around the wrist, stopping him. “No,” he ordered.
Shane dropped Tony’s wrist and stepped behind his spitfire. Pulling his fingers free, he used the extra lube and coated his prick. Lining up the head, he pushed through that muscle until he was in. Before Shane could stop him, Tony thrust his hips back, taking Shane’s whole cock inside until he was balls deep. Grabbing the man’s hips, Shane stopped all movement.
“Tony, I don’t want to hurt you. Take a second,” he urged.
“I don’t need a second. Shane, it feels so good. Please move,” Tony pleaded.
Shane had never had a lover writhe in his arms before, begging for his dick. Tony was almost dancing, moving his whole body and rubbing against Shane. Shane had never seen such a beautiful sight.
Shane pulled his dick out until just the head was still in Tony’s grasping hole, and then he thrust forward, not stopping until it was seated all the way in. Tony reacted by arching his back and crying out, his hole squeezing Shane’s cock so tight he almost came.
Shane widened his stance and put both arms around Tony, bringing him back up against him. Then he started thrusting into him with short jabs, pegging Tony’s prostrate each time. Tony reached back and put his arms around Shane’s neck, making his body arch backward.
Shane held Tony tight, lifting him and pulling him down onto his dick until he couldn’t hold it anymore and cum exploded, marking Tony from the inside as his. Tony wasn’t far behind. He let out a sharp cry and started shaking as streams of cum painted the wall in front of him.
Shane stood solid as a rock as Tony melted into him. Cuddling the handsome man, Shane ran sucking kisses down the side of his neck, loving the feel of the soft skin under his tongue.
“I think we need to clean up, big guy,” Tony murmured.
Shane kept a tight hold of Tony’s hand as he followed Tony up a huge staircase to the second floor, down a short hall to a huge round bedroom. On the far side of the room, a king-size bed dominated the area with windows surrounding it. Tony didn’t stop until he had led Shane into the master suite and turned on the water of a huge glass-enclosed shower, complete with at least six showerheads. Tony turned and kissed Shane, running his hands over his shoulders, chest, and hard belly. Shane could feel his dick start to twitch, getting its second wind.
Then to Shane’s disappointment, Tony stopped kissing him and pulled him into the shower and under the water.
Tony had never had sex like he had just had in the living room. Never before had he been completely dominated and owned by another person. His body was still reeling, wanting to feel again all the feelings Shane had brought out of it.
As the water washed over his body, he turned to Shane, reaching for a kiss. Shane kissed him briefly, but Tony realized something was wrong. Opening his eyes, he watched as Shane picked up the soap and quickly washed himself and then started running the soap over Tony. His hand lovingly washed and thoroughly rinsed them both. Then Shane turned the water off and kissed Tony again. Tony hadn’t missed the fact that Shane’s cock, which had been half hard when they had started kissing before they entered the shower, was now completely soft.
When Shane broke the kiss, he grabbed the towel off the bar and dried Tony and then himself. Then Shane ushered Tony into the bedroom, pulling the bed covers back and climbing onto bed. Tony was confused. He had thought they would go for round two in the shower and if he were lucky, round three in the bed. Instead he was in bed, wrapped in Shane’s arms, minus round two and three.
Then Tony knew. Every time they had cleaned up together, Shane had been efficient and quick about it. For some reason, Tony realized, Shane didn’t like water. And he could tell Shane
wanted to tell him, but didn’t know how. Tony made a decision.
“Shane, I realized today that a huge problem between Tyler and me was that we didn’t communicate completely. If we had been open with each other, things might not have turned out the way they did.” Tony continued. “I want us to always tell each other everything. No holding back or keeping secrets. Can you agree to that?”
“Yes, I can agree to that,” Shane told him.
Tony looked into those beautiful blue eyes and said, “I thought it was too soon, but then I realized when I was talking to Tyler that you were my home. You, with your solid warm arms that are always so tightly wrapped around me, holding me close. I sat there looking at him, listening to his unrealistic dreams, and I knew you were the one I wanted to be with.”
Shane pulled Tony closer and kissed him. They both put all of the feelings that were growing stronger between them into that kiss and the kisses that followed.
Finally they lay back, just gazing into each other’s eyes. Then Shane kissed the top of his head and said, “I have something to tell you. It’s about Cade and me and why I’m not real fond of water.”
“Okay, whatever you have to say, I’ll listen.”
“When I was about ten years old and Cade was around sixteen, our whole world changed.” Tony looked up and saw the glitter of tears in Shane’s eyes. “See, we had a sister. Her name was Maria and she had just turned six years old. It was one of those hot summer days and all of the radio and television stations were warning everyone about potential thunderstorms and tornados.
“Just before supper that day, my mom realized that Maria wasn’t in her room or out in the backyard like she thought she was. My dad came home from work and he thought we should wait and see if she came home for supper. Of course she didn’t.” Tony could see Shane had now become lost in the past as he stared straight ahead, his face a mixture of sadness and regret. “So then my mom started calling around to all of Maria’s neighborhood friends and my dad went down the whole block, door to door, asking if she was playing at any of those houses.”
Commander's Spitfire [Rescue for Hire 5] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) Page 7