“Marcie?”
“Yeah. They had a thing going on...”
“An affair?” Shep asked. “Marcie and your dad?”
“Yeah but my dad wouldn’t leave my mom so Marcie started going out with Brock to piss him off. That didn’t work out because Brock got her and Tina Rose pregnant at the same time and he chose Tina. They left town together and Marcie got an abortion. I’m the only man in my family that Marcie doesn’t hate. I think she feels sorry for me.”
Shep stared at him.
“Anytime you want to trade sad memories, I have tons,” Cody told him.
“Marcie was dating your father and your brother?”
“Yeah but it was strange. She didn’t hate my mom. They were friends. She used to babysit me.”
“Marcie did?” Shep asked.
“Yeah, that’s why she’s always in my business,” Cody told him.
“Where was Marcie when your dad was killed?”
“I don’t know. You don’t think..?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore,” Shep grumbled.
“No, Marcie wouldn’t do that. My dad was the only family I had left except for Uncle Joe. She...she wouldn’t kill him and then blame it on me. She wouldn’t do that!”
“It’s okay. Take it easy,” Shep said. “I was thinking out loud, that’s all.” He looked at the empty house. “Are you going to be all right staying here alone?”
Cody stared at the house. “Sure. I don’t like it but I’m used to it.”
“It seems to me that you’ve had to get used to a lot of things that you don’t like,” Shep said, quietly.
“Do you want to stay with me?” Cody asked.
“What?”
“Stay here tonight. You don’t have to go back up on the mountain...”
Shep thought it over. The pups were warm enough in the barn and they had plenty of food and water. There wasn’t anyone or anything waiting for him at the ranch, except for the demon. “Okay. People are talking about us anyway. What difference does it make?”
“I don’t care if they talk.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah I’m sure,” Cody said, getting out of the truck. He waited as Shep came around to his side. “This is the first time in my life that I actually feel like myself. I don’t have to sit in the bar and drink like one of the good ol’boys. I don’t have to sleep in the theater because I’m afraid to ‘break’ character. I’m fine with leaving Prince Chulalongkorn behind me tonight. I like being Dakota Flynn for a change.”
“That’s good,” Shep said, smiling at him.
“Why do you think I’m so good at acting?” Cody asked, opening the front door. “I get plenty of practice being everyone but me. It’s been easier that way.” He led Shep through the living room and into the kitchen. “Are you hungry?”
“No, I’m good, thanks.”
“Something to drink? I only have water and sun tea but I do have ice,” Cody told him.
“Tea is fine,” Shep said. When Cody opened the door to the fridge, he didn’t see any beer. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” Cody took two glasses from the cabinet and put them on the table.
“There are a few people in town who told me that you might have a drinking problem but you haven’t been drinking.”
Cody laughed. “Who told you that?”
“Your uncle, Marcie and well, Dottie.”
“Oh my God, did you believe them?” Cody uttered, grinning.
“Was it an act?”
“Sort of,” Cody said. He handed Shep the glass of tea. “I have been drinking a lot but if I act like they do, I don’t stand out as much. Sometimes, I’m not brave enough to be myself, Shep.”
“Was that you with me at the park?”
“Yessss….”
“Good because I liked him a lot. Not too sure about the drunk guy I saw in Hank’s the first day I was here. He was hot but a bit messy for my tastes.”
Cody smiled. He lifted his glass of iced tea and sipped at it, watching Shep. His eyes sparkled mischievously.
“What?”
“I liked who I saw on the stage tonight,” Cody said.
“The King?”
“No, the real James Shep Carson.”
“Do you want to see more of him?” Shep teased.
“Definitely. Want to come upstairs?” Cody said, sauntering to the doorway.
“You don’t have to ask,” Shep said, getting up from the chair. He walked over to Cody.
“There’s just one thing.” Cody laid his hands on Shep’s chest. “Not here, okay? I...I don’t want to do anything serious in this house. It doesn’t hold good memories for me and...”
“You don’t have to explain.”
“I don’t mind explaining it. I’m being honest with you,” Cody said. “Anywhere else is fine but I don’t want you to take me in this house.”
Shep nodded. “All right. You’re the one in control tonight.”
“Huh?”
Shep reached into his back pocket and brought the handcuffs out, offering them to Cody.
Cody started to smile. “What?” he asked, in disbelief.
“Your insurance that I won’t steal away your virginity,” Shep said.
“And what am I supposed to do with those?”
“Put them on me.”
Cody laughed hard. He looked at the handcuffs and then at Shep. Shep was smiling but he wasn’t laughing. “You’re not joking.”
“You said you didn’t understand my lifestyle,” Shep explained, “This is your chance to explore it from my side of things. You had a little taste of being my slave at my house now I’m going to let you put me wherever you want me and you can enjoy yourself ‘till morning.”
“You’re serious,” Cody whispered, touching the metal of the ‘cuffs.
“Mm hmm,” Shep said, “but I will give you a few tips.”
“Yeah? What?”
“You should ask me to undress before you ‘cuff me and ask me if there are any limits to what I’ll let you do to me.”
Cody’s heart beat faster in his chest. The back of his neck and his ears felt hot. His mouth went dry as he stared at the handcuffs. “Are there any limits?”
Shep smiled. “No. I’m all yours and I’ll do whatever you tell me to. Have fun.” He dangled the ‘cuffs on his index finger. “Take them if you want them.” Cody snatched them off his finger, fast, and Shep’s smile grew wider as he followed Cody up the stairs.
EIGHT
Cody paused in front of the bathroom door. He was hot and sweaty from rehearsal and a shower seemed like a good idea. It would be easy to get Shep undressed in there, too. “Go in here,” he said, pushing Shep into the bathroom. There was a big smile on Shep’s face. “Don’t laugh at me,” Cody said, “or I won’t do this.”
“I’m not laughing at you. I think you’re adorable.”
Cody nodded. He set the handcuffs down on the shelf and faced Shep. “Get undressed,” he said.
Shep leaned against the wall and pulled off his cowboy boots. He smiled and removed his shirt and jeans. He took his socks and underwear off and dropped them on the floor. He watched as Cody undressed and the smile wouldn’t leave his face.
Cody picked up the handcuffs. “How do I do this?”
“However you want, in the front or back. It doesn’t matter to me,” Shep said. “You can always change them around if you decide to. As I said, you’re in control.”
“Is..is there any law about handcuffing a police officer?” Cody asked, a little embarrassed.
Shep chuckled. “No Sir.” Cody looked up at him, his blue eyes were full of wonder and awe. “So, what would you like to do to me, Cody Flynn?”
“Turn around.” Shep actually did it! He turned, giving Cody the exquisite view of his muscle-toned body and his gorgeous ass. Cody took his wrist and locked it in a ‘cuff. “You have the keys, right?”
“They’re in my jeans pocket.”
“Ok
ay.” Cody picked up Shep’s other wrist and closed the cuff around it. He leaned over to turn the water on and he noticed that Shep hadn’t moved. Was it because he hadn’t told him to? Probably. “We can get in the shower now.” He got in and waited for Shep to step in with him. Cody smiled and trembled. He couldn’t believe Shep was going to let him do whatever he wanted to him!
Shep smiled watching him. Cody was nervous and unsure of what he was doing. It was sweet and Shep drank in every minute of a long forgotten innocence. But when Cody looked up at him the second time, his eyes held a devilish glint and they were a deeper blue. “Uh oh,” Shep teased, “What have I done?” Cody pounced on him, pushing him back against the shower wall and he kissed him hard on the mouth. Shep surrendered immediately and opened his mouth wider as Cody’s tongue surged between his teeth. One of Cody’s hands went to his dick and the other was roaming all over his body.
Cody left his lips and nuzzled against Shep’s neck for a while. He heard Shep’s breathing getting heavier and his cock was hard, fully erect. Cody stroked it with his hand. “Kind of a shame that this big boy has nowhere to go,” he said, in a sultry voice.
Shep chuckled, deep in his throat. It was the pleasure and the pain of the truth. He knew he wouldn’t be getting Cody’s ass tonight.
Cody enjoyed the heat and the smoldering darkness in Shep’s eyes. They were like dark chocolate, warm and sweet, but now they were different. They ignited with passion, a fiery passion he could not release and it was building.
Shep moaned as Cody slid over his body and added a lathery soap that made his hands move smoothly over his skin. He didn’t need any advice on how to tease, that was for sure. He’d already let go of Shep’s cock and it bobbed, ramrod straight, full and gorged. “Cody, ah my Cody...”
Cody smiled and continued kissing and licking Shep’s chest. He went to his nipples, teasing them with his teeth and he gently sucked on them. It drove Shep wild. But it didn’t matter. He couldn’t get loose. Shep’s body was power charged and ready but Cody held him in confinement. Shep was on lock down. Cody watched as Shep panted and gasped, looking back at him. Torment, the delicious torment in his eyes was seeking relief from Cody but Cody stopped, cold.
“You’re...you’re a fast learner,” Shep said, grinning. He leaned against the wall watching as Cody gave him a private show, rubbing the soap over every inch of his own lean, muscled body. “Oh my God,” he groaned, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the wall. Shep had forgotten how much strength this took. He was seconds away from blasting his load all over the shower floor. “Cody,” he gasped. “Cody..!”
The water turned icy cold and then it was shut off.
Shep smiled and opened his eyes. Cody had gotten out of the shower. Shep groaned and released an evil laugh. “Thanks for the cold shower.”
Cody smiled, grabbed a towel and began to dry off. He moved in close to Shep and playfully drew it over his skin. “I like being in control,” he said.
“Well, I have to tell you, being your slave for the night isn’t bad.”
“Yeah?” Cody kissed him. “I can have anything I want from you, right? You said so.”
“What have you got in mind?”
“You said no limits already.”
“I did but if you turn into psycho boy and start playing with electricity, I’m going to have to call red.”
“Electricity? Geez, how much of a freak are you?” Cody asked, grinning at him, “and what’s calling red mean?”
“It’s a safe word. It means stop. The Master has to obey.”
“He does? Why?”
“Because, there is a sacred trust between a Master and his Slave that should never be broken. BDSM is not abuse. If the slave calls red, the Master has to stop.”
“No matter what?”
“No matter what,” Shep said.
“Okay,” Cody said. He started out of the bathroom.
“Uh, hey...”
Cody turned to face him.
“I don’t know how far you’re going to take this but if you want my ass, you’d better bring some lube with us.”
“You’d let...me?”
“I said no limits on all things within reason. That seems mighty reasonable to me.”
“I...I...I don’t know...I never...” Cody stammered but he quickly opened the bathroom cabinet and grabbed the bottle of lube he had stored in there. He hurried into the bedroom.
Shep smiled, wide, and followed him. “Is that what you want?”
“I’ll suck you off first. Get on the bed.”
“Are you in a hurry now?” Shep teased. He sat down with his hands cuffed behind his back and Cody knelt down on the floor between his legs. Cody went in as if he were going in for the kill. His moist mouth closed over Shep’s cock and he began to suck, hard. Shep groaned, loud. He pulled against the ‘cuffs and it heightened every sensation in his body. He roared and shot his load into Cody’s waiting mouth. The sweet boy licked him clean as Shep panted, watching a soft smile come to Cody’s creamy lips. “Oh my God,” Shep uttered.
“Was that good?” Cody asked, looking up at him.
“Oh absolutely.”
Cody looked at the bottle of lube in his hand. “What if I don’t want the ‘cuffs on you when I...”
“Whatever you want,” Shep said, “You’re calling the shots.”
Cody went back into the bathroom and fished the small keys out of Shep’s pocket.
“Get the condom out of my wallet while you’re in there!” Shep called out.
Cody returned to the bedroom. He unlocked the handcuffs from around Shep’s wrists. “I...I don’t really know what I’m doing.”
“You’ll find your way.” Cody reached up putting his arms around Shep’s neck and they kissed. It was awkward for Cody, having to tell him what to do so Shep reached over and turned out the lights. He took the condom from Cody’s hand, opened the packet and put it on Cody’s thick cock. Shep laid down on the bed and waited for him. He took Cody into his arms, making love to him and in the end, he knew he was the one who was going to surrender.
He needed this and he needed it with someone real. His life had changed. Some of his old friends would never believe what he was doing but they didn’t have to know. This wasn’t how he taught Daniel, but all things change. Shep Carson had changed. He wanted this. He wanted to be taken, taken and loved. Cody was fumbling with the lube so Shep helped out where he could, applying it where it needed to be.
“Are you...sure about this? I...uh, I heard uh...it hurts.”
“It will a little bit,” Shep said. “It’s been a while but once you’re inside of me, it’ll be all right.”
“If you’re sure,” Cody whispered.
“I am.”
Cody hesitated.
“It’s all right,” Shep said, putting his hand on Cody’s and then he turned around, laying on his stomach.
Cody watched as Shep turned over and he leaned down, kissing the back of Shep’s neck. He straddled over him and tried to navigate where he was going. “I...I uh...”
“Don’t be nervous,” Shep said in a deep voice. “Any pain you give me will disappear in an unbelievable amount of pleasure.”
“I don’t know Shep. Are you sure?”
“Yes. Definitely.” He waited, allowing Cody to take the lead. He felt the first push against his hole and he cringed. It had been a long, long time and he’d almost forgotten what it felt like. He never let Daniel do this. It had been years. His first love took his virginity but after that, he was the one doing all the taking...until tonight.
Cody leaned down closer and as gently as he could, he began to rock his hips back and forth. He tenderly placed his hands on Shep’s muscled back and his lips parted when he actually penetrated him. “I...I’m inside of you!” He said it as though it were a surprise to him. He was there.
“Mmm, yes you are,” Shep said in a deep, satisfied voice. Cody’s thrusts became urgent and Shep smiled in the darkness. He r
emembered the awkward, clumsy movements of going after what he craved for the first time. Above him Cody panted and grunted, taking him, hard. Shep’s eyes moistened. Why was he doing this? Why take the position of the submissive, the Slave? In the past year, he’d become wise.
Even Masters are sometimes the Slaves, especially when the heart wants what it wants.
Shep turned and smiled. Cody had collapsed on his back. He wrapped an arm around him. “Come down here with me,” he said.
Cody snuggled up beside Shep, under his arm. “You’re amazing.”
“What? Why?”
“All the things I worry about, all the things I’m scared of,” Cody said, pleasantly exhausted, “I’m not even thinking about them anymore.”
Shep smiled and pulled him closer. He lifted the cover and lay it over both of them. He put his arm around Cody and they went to sleep.
NINE
The next four days passed quickly. Neither Cody nor Shep had time to be together. Shep spent most of his time at work but in the evenings when he was at the theater, at least he got to see Cody. Work was frustrating because the forensic lab results weren’t back and he was anxious to find out more about the hand he’d found in his basement. The theater turned out to be good for him. He’d learned to dance gracefully with Shelby and that monstrously sized dress of hers. He’d also practiced the utmost control every time Cody knelt obediently at his feet. He’d come a long way. Much to his and the rest of the cast’s surprise, the play came together.
At the beginning of the week, he thought they were going to make fools of themselves in front of the entire town. But now, he found himself immensely proud of what they’d accomplished together.
There was a nervous buzz in the air on opening night. Everyone was bustling around getting into their costumes and putting make-up on. The Green Room was crowded and occasionally someone from the local news came in to take pictures and interview the cast members.
“This is fun,” Shep admitted to Cody.
“I love it. We’ll be doing the Halloween showcase next. It’s several songs and skits from various spooky shows,” Cody explained. “You should audition.”
The Taste of Sorrow Page 3