Caleb's Choice

by Sarah Hadley Brook

  “Oh, yeah. Sorry,” he said, a little sheepishly. “Um, Lucas Landry just arrived and asked where you were.”

  Caleb’s heart thudded. He took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. “Oh, yeah?”

  “Mmm-hmm. He said he wants to interview some of the kids and the players. He’s in the locker room.”

  “Okay. Thanks for letting me know. You mind hanging out with these guys for a few minutes? I’ll see how Lucas wants to set this up.”

  Jamie nodded and turned to the blushing Austin.

  Caleb bit back a chuckle and made his way toward the locker room. He forced himself to walk, but he wanted to run. Hell, he wanted to sprint. He felt like he was moving in slow motion, but when he entered the locker room and saw Lucas sitting on a bench, he sped up until he kneeled in front of him, putting them on the same level.

  Caleb cupped Lucas’ face with both hands and stroked his soft skin with his thumbs, unable to keep himself from touching him even one more second. Lucas’ warm brown eyes widened and he pressed his forehead against Caleb’s.

  “I missed you,” he whispered shyly.

  Caleb replied by brushing his lips against Lucas’ mouth. He meant for it to be a sweet kiss, he really did. But the jolt of arousal coursed through him like electricity and he crushed his lips against Lucas’, taking control.

  Lucas moaned and Caleb slid out his tongue to lick his lips, tasting his sweetness and needing more. He pressed against Lucas’ closed mouth, which he opened eagerly, inviting him in and rewarding him with the unique flavor he’d been craving. It was honey and spice and could only be Lucas. Caleb moaned and wrapped his arm around Lucas’ waist, pulling him close.

  Lucas tugged his lips from Caleb’s and placed soft, wet kisses across his cheek, stopping to trace the outer edge of his ear. Caleb shuddered. Lucas suckled his lobe and Caleb growled low, finally pulling away.

  “Come with me,” he ordered, standing and grabbing Lucas’ hand. He pulled a little too roughly, but Lucas didn’t complain.

  “Where are we going?”

  Caleb didn’t answer. He’d show Lucas in a moment.

  They made their way through a maze of hallways, ending in front of the sauna. Caleb clicked the thermostat down a little. There was enough heat between them already, he mused.

  He glanced over his shoulder at Lucas, then smiled as he opened the door and gestured for the man to enter first.

  Lucas paused, but his lips curved into a small smile and he entered the sauna.

  It wasn’t big, but they didn’t need a lot of room. Caleb smiled again and pulled the door shut, locking it behind him.

  Desire coursed through him and he reached for Lucas, who willingly came to him. Their lips met and their kisses grew frantic.

  “We don’t have a lot of time,” Caleb cautioned. “They’ll notice I’m gone soon and come looking for me.”

  Lucas bit his lower lip and stared at Caleb, his brown eyes dark with lust. He yanked his shirt over his head and threw it to the bench, then started to undo his jeans.

  Caleb’s breath caught in his throat. “Fuck, you’re stunning.” He stood frozen, his eyes tracing every curve and contour of Lucas’ chest.

  Light blond hair formed a patch of curls between his pecs, trailing to a thin path to his belly button and below, disappearing into his jeans.

  “You going to catch up?” Lucas whispered, his voice teasing.

  Caleb growled deep in his chest and practically lunged forward, stopping Lucas from removing his jeans. “Mine,” he stated.

  Lucas swallowed hard and pulled back his hands. “Yours. Make me yours, Caleb. I need you.”

  Fuck! That was all it took for Caleb to lose control. Clothes went flying, Lucas’ and his, until the man of his dreams stood before him fully naked and exposed. Lucas slowly slid his thick, hard cock in his hand. He was like a beautiful buffet and Caleb was torn. He wanted to taste him like he had before. Devour him again. But he didn’t want to put a mark on him.

  Lucas shuddered, and their gazes met and held. The desire Caleb viewed in Lucas’ eyes proved his undoing. Caleb roughly turned Lucas and pushed him forward until the man braced himself against the wall with his knees on the bench.

  Caleb kissed the nape of Lucas’ neck and down his back, while he gripped Lucas’ hips, pulling him closer. “Fuck, I can’t help myself,” he murmured against the heated skin. “You’re so beautiful. I…I wanted to make our first time more—”

  “Caleb?” Lucas whispered.

  Caleb kissed his shoulder. “Hmm?”

  “If I don’t feel you inside of me soon, I may lose my fucking mind. Next time can be longer and in a bed, but today, I’m literally begging you to take me!”

  Caleb thrust his dick against the crevice in Lucas’ ass and growled. “I need to prep you, baby,” he said, his voice gravelly with lust. “And get the condom and lube in my jeans.” He found the items he needed, then quickly rolled the condom down his hard dick before tearing open the lube packet. He squeezed some on his finger before sliding it between Lucas’ round cheeks, finding the opening, and pressing.

  “Do it!” Lucas cried.

  He pushed and Lucas opened for him, welcoming the finger into his heat. Caleb trembled with anticipation and slid in and out a few times before adding a second finger. He reached deep, found that spot he knew would rock Lucas’ world, and brushed over it.

  “Yes, there!”

  Caleb smiled. He liked that Lucas was vocal about what he liked. He pulled out his fingers, and turned Lucas’ head so they could kiss. “Are you ready?”

  “More than you know.”

  Caleb put his hand on Lucas’ lower back and pressed him forward. He lined up the tip of his cock to Lucas’ hole and pushed forward. Lucas opened and he slid inside.

  Lucas hissed as the head popped through, and reached back to grab Caleb’s hand on his hip. “Wait just a sec…it’s…it’s been a long time…”

  Caleb fought against the strong desire to push forward hard until he buried his throbbing cock inside the welcoming heat. But he’d never do anything to hurt Lucas, so he rested his forehead on Lucas’ back and waited for permission to go on.

  Lucas squeezed his hand. “Okay, I’m okay. Do it fast, don’t take your time. I need it,” he commanded, his body so tight with need, Caleb felt it down to his toes.

  Caleb gripped his hips and took a deep breath before thrusting forward and sliding deep into the velvet heat gripping his cock. Fuck, it was like nothing he had ever experienced and he groaned loudly.

  Lucas pushed back and Caleb tightened his grip on the man’s hips. “This is going to be fast, Lucas. I can’t….oh God, if you keep moving…I can feel your muscles tightening around my cock. Fuck!”

  “You fill me up so perfectly,” Lucas whispered.

  Caleb threw back his head and pulled out so only his engorged head remained inside, then thrust forward, swiping across that spot and causing Lucas to cry out. Caleb hadn’t been kidding when he’d said it would be fast. He thrust a few more times and fought to keep himself from his release. It proved damn near impossible. But then Lucas gave a great shudder and started moaning and banging his fist against the wall. Caleb wrapped his fingers around Lucas’ dick in time for the second spurt of his release to pour down his hand. He stroked Lucas in time with his thrusts, and soon he joined Lucas, falling over the edge and succumbing to the incredible intensity of his own release. A myriad of colors flooded his vision and his legs felt weak.

  He moaned and cried Lucas’ name over and over as his cock pulsed deep inside his lover, shooting cum into the condom until he felt drained and wasn’t sure he could stand much longer. Lucas trembled in his arms, and Caleb pulled out gently, grabbed a towel from the bench, removed the condom, and tied it before wiping himself off. He turned Lucas and wrapped his arms around him, kissing him softly.

  “That was….” He couldn’t describe the most amazing experience of his life.

  “It was,” Lucas agreed, kissing
his cheek.

  Caleb groaned. “I have to get back to the workouts.”

  “I know.”

  They pulled apart and dressed. Caleb dropped the towel in the hamper and wrapped the condom in paper towels before hiding it in the trash. He made a quick stop at the sink to wash his hands, and his disheveled appearance in the mirror surprised him. He made himself look as presentable as possible, then went to the locker room to find Lucas standing by the door, waiting for him. He gave Caleb a shy smile and, in return, Caleb gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

  “Can I see you tonight?” Caleb asked.

  “Yes.”

  Caleb’s heart did that fluttery thing again and he smiled. “Pick you up at seven?”

  Lucas agreed and promised to text him his address at the hotel.

  They walked out together, careful not to touch each other. Caleb wondered what his next move would be. He had crossed the line, and there was no going back.

  * * * *

  Lucas spent the afternoon watching and interviewing the Rabbits and the teens, although he had a hard time keeping his eyes off Caleb. The way that man moved did things to him. It took all this strength to pay attention during the interviews.

  It was a beautiful sunny day and the group of guys on the field seemed to be having the time of their lives—professional ball players included. Lucas saw Jamie hanging around Caleb and decided it might be nice to do an interview with him, too. So when he caught Jamie’s eye, he waved him over to the dugout and they spent a few minutes talking.

  Jamie was a good kid and easy to talk with.

  He shut the recorder off and turned his gaze back to Jamie.

  “Is there something else?” Jamie asked.

  “Yeah, um, can I ask you a personal question? Off the record?”

  Jamie shrugged. “Sure. Shoot.”

  Lucas glanced at Caleb, still working in the outfield with the teens, and sighed. “I’m not sure how to ask this.”

  “Let me guess…you want to know if I’m gay.”

  Lucas raised an eyebrow.

  “Yeah, I am. And for your next question, no, I haven’t told anyone here, or made any announcement, but I also don’t hide it. I assume they probably know. I’m certain Caleb knows.”

  “Caleb? How does he know?” Lucas asked, a little freaked out at the level of jealousy that sliced through him. God, he’s a fucking kid, you idiot!

  Jamie eyed him closely while the corners of his mouth quirked up. “You like him?”

  Lucas jolted back. Was it that obvious? He felt the blush heat his face and he flicked his eyes toward the man they were discussing.

  “Hey, Lucas, it’s fine. I won’t say a word. I know he’s not out.”

  Lucas’ brow furrowed. “How did you know? I mean, if he hasn’t told you, then how did you find out?”

  Jamie grinned. “Easy. I saw how he looked at you that first game night.”

  Lucas’ mouth went dry. “How did he look at me?”

  “Like he wanted to play caveman and throw you over his shoulder and run off into the night.” He chuckled. “I knew as soon as I saw you guys together that you felt the same way.”

  Lucas sat on the bench. He had to admit, the thought of Caleb going caveman on him was hot, but he was more worried about being the reason Caleb might be outed. Even though Lucas was out, Caleb wasn’t ready yet. It had to be his decision. He turned his face up to Jamie. “But he’s not out. Do you think others have noticed?”

  Jamie cocked his head and scanned the field as if he could find the answer out there. He sighed. “I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure. But these are good guys. I don’t think he should worry about it.”

  Lucas thanked him and headed onto the field, making sure to keep his eyes off Caleb. He didn’t want to start any talking among the team. But, dammit, he hated hiding who he was. Well, he wasn’t exactly hiding who he was, per se. If anyone asked, he would freely admit he was gay. But he wanted to date someone who felt the same way. He had meant it when he told Caleb that he wouldn’t be anyone’s dirty little secret.

  He gave in to the urge and let his gaze wander toward Caleb, and his heart crashed into his chest. God, he couldn’t understand it, but after knowing Caleb for just a short time, Lucas was sure he was falling in love. What the hell had he gotten himself into?

  * * * *

  Once the afternoon wound down, Caleb sent Ethan, Austin, Jamie, and Jackson to the locker room to clean up. The coaches planned a “rah-rah meeting” with the kids to motivate them.

  Caleb chuckled as he watched Jamie flirt with Austin. Well, if you could call it flirting. Although Jamie was certainly trying to be discreet, any idiot could see the kids were hung up on each other. Austin was eighteen and Jamie only a year older, so Caleb wished them well in his mind and headed over to talk with Coach Newberry for a minute.

  One minute turned into ten, and by the time they finished their conversation, a lot of the others started toward the locker room as well. He ran to catch up with Brandon and chat with him as they walked together. Out of all the guys on the team, Caleb enjoyed Brandon’s company the most. They had a good time together.

  As they entered the locker room, a scream tore through the room.

  “Stop! Stop!”

  “You could kill him, Ethan!”

  Caleb and Brandon ran toward the voices and came upon a horrifying scene in the showers. Austin lay on the floor, curled into a ball, while Ethan kicked him. Jamie screamed at him to stop, pulling at Ethan’s arms.

  “Faggot!” Ethan shouted. “You have no right to be part of our team. Fags are worthless!”

  Caleb wrapped his arms around Ethan’s waist, lifted and swung him to face the other side of the showers.

  “Get your hands off me! Those fags were kissing! Disgusting,” Ethan spat, his lips curling into a snarl.

  “Stop it, Ethan! Now!” Caleb ordered as he shoved the teen to his knees and put his hands on his shoulders. “Don’t fucking move!” He turned back to see Jamie in tears, kneeling next to Austin, while Brandon bent over him, murmuring questions, trying to assess his injuries.

  “Call an ambulance,” Brandon said.

  Caleb saw several teammates—both professionals and teens—standing there. “And get security,” he added, then turned to Ethan, who’d slumped down on his ass and started shaking. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” he practically screamed.

  “I don’t know,” he cried, dropping his head into his hands. “Oh, my God! Did I kill him? Is he okay? Oh, God!”

  Caleb, unsure what to do with him, was relieved when two security guards showed up and took Ethan off his hands. By this point, the kid was sobbing uncontrollably.

  Brandon stood and stuck his finger into Ethan’s face. “You asshole! You’re lucky he seems to be okay. We’ll see what the EMTs say, but he’s definitely bruised. What the hell happened?” He shook his head when he realized Ethan was crying so hard, he wasn’t paying attention. “I don’t think the other kid has anything broken,” he said to Caleb.

  Security removed Ethan, saying they would call the police.

  When the ambulance showed up a short time later, as well as the team doctor, they took Austin out on a stretcher, with Jamie following close behind.

  “Jamie,” Caleb called.

  The young man stopped, but the look on his face said he felt responsible.

  “Hey, it’s okay,” Caleb said. “You can see him in a minute. We need you to tell us what happened. You’ll have to talk to the police and our security, too.”

  He nodded, and his welled up tears spilled over. “I shouldn’t have kissed him,” he whispered. “It’s my fault.”

  Brandon grabbed his arms. “Hey! Stop it. The only one at fault is Ethan. Now, tell us exactly what happened.”

  Jamie wiped his eyes and sniffled, but he seemed to pull himself together. “It started off innocently enough. I was showing Austin the locker room, and when we reached the showers, it was private and we chatted. I reached f
or Austin’s hand, and he smiled, so I…I leaned in for a light kiss.”

  Caleb could imagine that, with teenagers being teenagers, the kiss had probably grown heated.

  “Ethan walked in on us and started screaming, calling us names, and he shoved Austin to the ground. He had just started kicking him when you guys walked in.”

  After a moment, Caleb and Brandon let Jamie go down the hall to the medical office, while they went to brief the manager and coaches. What had been an amazing day had ended in hatred, and Caleb wasn’t sure what to do. He passed Lucas as he moved toward the manager’s office, but he was so focused on the situation, he barely nodded at him.

  He let Brandon explain to the administration staff what had transpired, and was pleased when the coaches decided to still hold the meeting and turn it into an open discussion on diversity and anti-bullying.

  Thoughts tumbled around Caleb’s brain. Would this happen to him someday? Was this what he had to look forward to? He found a chair in the meeting area and slumped into his seat. His head hurt, and he couldn’t stop imagining what could have happened if he and Brandon had not reached Austin in time.

  And where did Ethan get all that anger? All that hatred had to have been taught. Certainly no one was born with that much.

  Coach Newberry stepped in front of the group. A heavy weight hovered in the air, and everyone seemed shaken.

  “Okay, let’s get this started,” Coach said, drawing their attention. “Look, we do not tolerate hatred here. Or bullying. Ever. I’m sorry this took place today.”

  Caleb scanned the room for Lucas, finally finding him seated against the side wall, staring back at him. His breath caught in his throat and his heart fell into his stomach. He broke into a cold sweat and his gaze darted around the room. Would these men treat him as Ethan had treated Austin? Surely not. Would he lose Lucas if he didn’t come out? Was not coming out even worth the dream? If he couldn’t be himself, did he really want to pursue it?

  This was supposed to be a safe zone. These men were his friends. His family. Hell, they were his brothers. He tuned back into what Coach Newberry was saying and glanced at Lucas again. His heartbeat sped up and he suddenly knew his dream. It was Lucas. It had always been Lucas; he just didn’t know it until they’d met. Was that love?