by Sean Michael
“Are we allowed to do that?”
“We’re not prisoners, are we?”
“Well, no. I suppose not, but”—Benj tilted his head—“there’s a regimen.”
“If that means no pumpkins for Halloween, I quit.”
“I’ll talk to Jean. I’m sure it won’t be a problem, as long as we don’t go when you’re supposed to be doing work with Ralph.”
“I vote we tie Ralph up and throw him in a closet.”
“He’s a nice guy, Brett.” Benj giggled.
Brett snorted. “Like Godzilla was a nice lizard, baby.”
“But he is. Jean’s a sweetheart, and he’d never be with anyone who wasn’t nice.”
“You’ve got a crush.” Brett could tease, a little bit anyway.
“What? Me? No.” Benj blushed a little, laughed. “He’s been very good to me, though.”
“Uh-huh. Don’t make me go beat him, baby.”
“That wouldn’t be very good for your arm, love.” Benj gave him a sideways glance, teasing him, flirting with him.
“Could be therapeutic….” He could flirt right back.
Benj’s mouth dropped open for a moment, and then he giggled. “You’d fight for me? Still?”
Brett froze, stared. “Baby, I would kill for you if I had to.”
“Oh….” Benj pressed hard against him and pushed their mouths together.
He wrapped his arm around Benj’s waist, sliding his hand down on his lover’s ass.
Benj made a sweet noise against his mouth; he could feel Benj’s sweet prick growing against him.
“Mmm. Baby.” He leaned back, taking more of Benj’s weight.
“You feeling randy again?” Benj looked slightly awed and also very happy about that.
“Some. We don’t have to get acrobatic. We have all morning.”
“I could ride you.” Benj kissed him all over his face, lips warm and wet as he sucked slightly at Brett’s skin.
“Mmm. You could.” He wrapped a hand around Benj’s hip, thumb on the heavy cock.
“I’d like that, love.” Benj groaned and pushed against him.
“You still want this grumpy old man?”
Benj looked around, frowning. “What grumpy old man?”
“Dork.” He swatted Benj’s butt playfully.
Benj grinned and leaned in. “I will always want you, Brett. No matter what.”
Brett chuckled, kissed the corner of Benj’s mouth.
Benj’s traced Brett’s lips with his tongue and skimmed his fingertips over Brett’s chest.
“I miss our bed, huh? Our view of the city?” Brett rubbed their noses together.
“Yeah. I mean, this isn’t as bad as I was expecting, but it’s still the middle of nowhere.”
Brett nodded. “It’s very rural. No bars in sight.”
“No, nothing in sight aside from Mother Nature.”
“And you.” He could appreciate it.
“You’ll always have me as part of the view.” Benj leaned in, and they kissed.
Brett loved the way Benj’s lips tasted, the way they were warm and soft but still firm. Male. He opened, letting Brett in, and Benj’s tongue slid alongside his, tasting him in turn.
Lazy and relaxed, Brett let the kiss go on and on.
Benj didn’t seem inclined to stop it anytime soon either. In fact, Benj climbed over his body and began rubbing against him.
With his hands, Brett mapped every inch of Benj’s body, relearning it, adoring it.
Benj moved over him, fluid and wanton. “Brett. God, you make me want.”
“Good.” One day that might be all he was good for.
Benj leaned in and licked at his nipple, mouthed it.
“Hungry baby.” Brett groaned a little as the suction got harder.
Shifting, Benj straddled him properly. That lined their cocks up just right, and Benj began to rock slowly.
Brett reached down and loosely circled their pricks. Smooth. Hot.
Fine.
Benj moaned for him, shifting and rolling against him.
“You’re good, baby. No hurry.” None at all.
Benj nodded and brought their mouths together again, then pushed his tongue into Brett’s mouth.
That made Brett’s eyes roll a little bit. He wrapped his free hand around Benj’s hip.
In and out, Benj tongue-fucked his mouth.
He started moving his hand in time with Benj’s tongue—up and down.
“Yes,” Benj whispered. “Yes. Yes.”
They moaned together, staring at each other as the heat built between them.
“Brett.”
He could hear so much in his name alone. “Yeah, baby. It’s good.” It was. Even with his fucking shoulder and everything. This was good.
Benj met his gaze and held it as they moved together.
Brett decided he was going to start every morning. Just. Like. This.
Benj’s mouth closed over his again, tongue moving faster now.
Brett started rubbing the slits of their cocks on every upstroke, working both of them hard.
Moans and whimpers filled his mouth, his Benj beginning to go crazy.
“Come on. Come on. Come on me, Benj.”
“Brett!” His sweet Benj cried out, and heat sprayed up between them.
“Oh fuck. Fuck yeah.” Brett grunted and kept his hand moving, his balls going tight.
“Your turn, Brett. Let me smell you.”
“Fuck.” His eyelids got heavy as hot spunk spurted out through the tip of his prick.
Groaning, Benj ran a hand through the mess on his belly and then brought his fingers up to be licked off.
They kissed around Benj’s fingers, eyes still locked.
At long last, Benj sighed, the sound satisfied and happy, and then collapsed down against him.
“God, I love you.”
“Good.” Brett wrapped one arm around his lover and held on.
He might live.
Maybe.
Chapter Ten
RALPH GLANCED at his watch and headed back to the house. It was nearly eleven and still no Brett. He was trying to be nice because the man had had a bad night, but this was not how he wanted things to progress at all.
He went in through the kitchen because he was feeling grumpy about the wasted morning and figured his man could help find him a better mood.
“Jean?” he called as he went in.
“Oui, chou?” Jean was whistling happily, making lunches, Benj working alongside him.
“Hey, babe. Oh, hi, Benj. Where’s that man of yours?”
Benj smiled at him. “The pool or the shower, I think. He was going to do laps and then get clean.”
Ralph grunted. “Okay.” Well, it might not have been coming down to see him, but he could hardly fault the man for actually following some of his advice. “Is he better?”
“I think so. I think so a lot, actually.” Benj was beaming, bouncing.
Ralph chuckled. “Well, all right, then. I do believe that was part of the prescription.” He gave Benj a wink. The guy was really a sweetheart.
Jean grinned. “Someone got himself laid.”
“I can see that.”
Benj’s blush was sweet.
“You two leave him alone.” Brett came in, towel around his waist. “I’m going to hit the shower. How long before food?”
“We were just teasing him, man. He looks happy.” Ralph thought Brett looked pretty good too.
“Yeah.” Brett winked. “Food?”
Jean nodded. “Ten minutes.”
“Got it.” Brett sauntered off, Benj’s gaze trained on his towel-covered ass.
“He’s a good-looking man.” Ralph grinned as his words had Benj blushing some more. He was clearly proud too, however.
“He is.”
“You could go clean up too, cher.” Jean’s eyes twinkled. “For lunch.”
Benj’s breath hitched, and he tugged off his apron. “How long do we have again?”
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“Twenty minutes.” At his startled look, Jean’s smile widened. “What? Ten is not long enough.”
Benj’s color rose, but his smile was beautiful. “Thank you, Jean. We’ll be down in time.”
Ralph watched him leave and came over to swat Jean’s ass. “You’re incorrigible.”
His Cajun snorted, offered him a smile. “Chou, you said they needed to. Help me chop.”
“And they do. They both look much healthier—happier—this morning, don’t they?”
He went over and stood behind Jean, pressing up against the lean body. “What is it you need help with?”
“The berries and pineapple.” Jean leaned back against Ralph and popped a bite of banana between his lips.
“Mmm….” He munched on the banana and rubbed against Jean’s back. “Are you sure that’s what you want help with?”
“Mmm. Oui. Perv. We’re cooking.” Jean whacked his leg.
“Ow!” He pouted and stepped over to work beside Jean. “Sometimes that means something else, you know.”
“What?” Jean started working.
“We’re cooking?” Ralph bumped hips with Jean and waggled his eyebrows. “It can mean doing things without clothes.”
“Oh ho. It can?”
“Yeah, it can.” Ralph started cutting up the pineapple.
“I think we should grill chicken tonight. Something light but protein-y. With a big salad.”
“Does that mean you want me to fire up the grill, babe?” He loved grilling meat and then teasing Jean that he’d made the meal.
“Mmm. ’S a brilliant idea, chou.” Jean licked juice off his lips, his pink tongue flicking.
“Of course it is—I only have brilliant ideas.” His own tongue slid out to touch Jean’s.
“You… ow!” Jean jerked back, blood spurting from the base of his thumb.
“Oh, babe! I’m sorry.” He reached for the first aid kit they kept in one of the cupboards. “Put pressure on it.”
“Uh-huh. I got it.” Jean was a little pale around the edges but still grinning.
“How bad is it?” He turned the water on and brought Jean over to the sink, put his hand under the flow.
“I didn’t look.” Jean stared up at the ceiling.
“Then I will.” He rubbed Jean’s back for a moment and then leaned in to take a look.
The cut was long but not deep, bleeding heavily but not enough to need stitches. Enough to give him a reason to baby his lover a little, however.
He kissed the top of Jean’s thumb. “I think you’re going to live, babe. It does need some TLC, though.”
He grabbed a piece of paper towel and wrapped it around Jean’s thumb to dry it and stave off the bleeding until he could get a Band-Aid on it.
“There’s some lidocaine to spray on it.”
Ralph nodded. “I’ve got it, babe. Don’t you worry.”
He got the finger sprayed and bandaged and then pulled Jean into his arms. “You need to be more careful with my man.”
“Uh-huh. You gon’ kiss me and make it better?”
“Of course!” As if Jean needed to ask. Ralph kissed the tip of the injured thumb again and then took Jean into his arms and kissed his lover on the lips.
“Chou.” Jean hummed into his kiss, dark eyes going all heavy-lidded.
“Maybe we have a few minutes to, uh, get clean too, hmm?”
He wrapped his hands around Jean’s waist and took another kiss.
“Maybe.” Jean bussed his nose. “Clean me up and kiss it all better, hmm?”
Ralph nodded. The fruit would wait.
Chapter Eleven
JEAN WATCHED the skies, the dark clouds rolling in. Oo-ee, there was a whopper coming on.
He thought an anti-inflammatory smoothie for a snack, then cod and sweet potatoes for supper. The high-pressure front would be bothering their patient.
“Mmm, something smells good in here, babe.” Ralph came in through the back. “And I don’t mean the food.”
“There’s a storm coming. Brett hurtin’?”
“Yeah, it felt like we’d fallen back to the first day he was here. I’ve got him walking around the lake with Benj. They won’t be long.”
“I’ll make smoothies. You could use one yourself, hmm?”
“You know I’ll eat whatever you put in front of me. I believe in your voodoo with the food.”
Jean reached out, patted Ralph’s butt, then jumped as thunder clapped.
Ralph wrapped his arms around Jean and pulled him against the muscular body. “I’ve got you.”
“You’re good to me, chou….”
He heard something then—someone yelling. He frowned and looked out the window toward the road. Benj was running, waving his arms. “I need some help!”
“Oh, that can’t be good.” Ralph headed toward Benj at a run, and Jean followed. They both caught up to Benj about the same time.
“It’s Brett! Please, help!”
“What happened, cher? He hurt?”
“Please! Please!” Benj started running in the other direction, pointing and gasping out words. “Fell…. Water…. Please.”
Ralph looked in the direction Benj was pointing and saw Brett in the water near the edge. The bank was fairly steep along that stretch, and the bottom of the lake dropped to a significant depth below it. “Shit.” He ran faster.
“What happened?” Jean asked. The rain started coming down like the sky itself had opened right on top of them.
“Fell.” Benj was fluttering badly. “Brett. Help him!”
Ralph reached the edge of the lake near Brett, who was alive—treading water by the looks of him. Thank God.
“He hurt, chou?” Jesus, that rain was cold.
“I don’t know. Brett, man, come on out of there.”
“He can’t!” Benj was near tears. “I’ve tried to help him, but I’m not strong enough.”
“Get your ass down here and help me, man!” Brett sounded pissed. “I’m scared I’m going to tear my shoulder up if I use it too much.”
Ralph grunted, gave Jean a kiss, and then slipped right into the water and swam to Brett.
“Careful, chou! You want me down there?” Jean was a strong, strong swimmer.
“I probably should have made you go in while I stayed on shore and pulled.” Ralph moved up to Brett and supported him. “Give us a minute to make the switch, man, okay?”
“Sure. I’m not hurt. Just stuck.” Brett looked a little shocked. “That fucking edge gave way.”
Ralph climbed out of the water. “Oh yeah, I can see exactly what the problem is—getting out here would be all in the shoulders. Come on, babe, in you go—you support him and see if you can lift him at all, and I’ll get him by the waist.”
“You got it.” Jean slid in and landed beside Brett with a splash. “Bonjour!”
Brett chuckled. “Hey, cookie. Did you request the rain?”
“I did. It’s early.”
Ralph lay down with his upper body hanging out over the edge of the lake. “Hey, Benj—sit on my thighs so I don’t fall in, okay?”
“O-okay.” Benj got down onto Ralph’s thighs, watching with worried eyes.
“I’m cool, baby. Wet and muddy, but cool.” Brett looked at Jean. “You gonna give me a boost?”
“Yep. On three. One. Two.”
On three, he shoved.
Ralph pulled while Jean pushed. It wasn’t pretty, but they got Brett out of the water.
“Don’t you leave my skinny butt down here, now!” Jean reached up, wet as a drowned rat.
Ralph grabbed hold of his arm and hauled him up as well. All four of them were on the ground, soaked to the skin and panting.
“Christ, it’s cold. We all need to get back and get warmed up before someone gets sick.”
Jean nodded. “I’ll make some chicken soup for tonight too.”
Lightning flashed, and they all jumped. Jean damn near went backward into the water, arms windmilling.
R
alph grabbed hold of him, pulling him up against his strong body. “Careful, babe. Come on, everyone. Double time—this storm’s not letting up any.”
“No. No, in fact it looks like it’s getting worse.” Brett wrapped one arm around Benj. “Come on, baby. Hustle.”
The wind started howling, and they all ran for the house.
The hail began seconds before they reached the door, quarter-sized pieces of ice that hurt as they hit.
“Christ! Y’all!” Jean shook his head, winced. “Get in!”
The electricity went out as they entered.
“Dammit,” growled Ralph. “Jean, get everyone settled with blankets in the den and light the fire. I’m going to go see if it was just the fuse box.”
“Oui, chou. I got it.” He patted Benj’s butt. “Strip off, eh? I’ll find towels.”
Benj nodded, teeth chattering. Still, the sweet little thing helped Brett strip off first.
Jean grabbed a bunch of towels, filled the kettle, and grabbed some wood for the fire. The gas lighter got it started well, and then he ran for blankets.
Ralph met him at the closet. “It’s the incoming power. We’re out until they can fix it. Why are you still in wet clothes, babe?”
“I’m getting blankets, chou, like you said.”
“Right. Right. Come on, quick. I don’t want you catching your death.”
Ralph grabbed a pile of blankets and manhandled Jean back into the den, where the fire was blazing. Brett and Benj had dragged the couch in front of it and were sitting together, shivering.
After Ralph plopped the blankets on Brett and Benj, Jean reached for him. “Come, chou. Off with those.”
“You first.” Ralph started tugging at his wet shirt and jeans; the material felt like it was glued to him.
Between them, they got stripped off, and Jean dried them off with one of the towels.
Benj had his head buried in Brett’s neck, but the two of them weren’t shivering anymore, which was a good thing.
Jean wrapped a towel around his waist. “Go sit, chou. I’ll bring coffee and a snack and then get clothes for everybody.”
“No, you sit and get warm first. I can’t run this place without you.” Ralph caught him around the middle and pulled him down onto the couch next to Brett and Benj.
Benj gave him a soft smile as Ralph covered them both with a pair of blankets. “Does this happen often?”