by Hayes, Lane
“How?” I asked in a husky tone.
“I’m an intern. Unless Wes miraculously hires me full-time and is willing to work around my schedule while I complete my degree online, I won’t be here after the holidays.”
“Will you go back to Davis?”
“Yeah. Then maybe Denver. I don’t know. My future is up in the air, and my time here is limited. We can play this however we want for the next couple of months. We can agree to just be friends or…” Danny waggled his brow lecherously. The gesture was too over-the-top to be taken seriously.
I barked a quick laugh then set my bottle on the coffee table next to his. “You’re unreal.”
“Nope. I’m real.”
Danny’s voice seemed deeper than usual. It moved through me like strong liquor and made me want to do something wicked like pull him on top of me and hook my ankles around his ass. It was ridiculous not to throw the towel in and surrender. I wanted him and the bulge in his deliciously worn Levis told me he felt the same way.
“What are you proposing?” I whispered.
His nostrils flared as he inched closer still so we sat thigh-to-thigh like we had at the bar. “Kiss me again. The way you did in the parking lot.”
“That’s all? Just a kiss?”
“It’s a start.”
Danny brushed my hair back and caressed my cheek before leaning forward to press his lips against mine. Neither of us moved. I breathed him in, loving the heady smell of cologne and soap and the hint of beer on his tongue. I stared into his eyes mesmerized by the deep blue color and the obvious hunger I detected. He reminded me of a vampire who was trying his hardest to be on his best behavior. I waited for him to make the first move but when he did, it wasn’t what I expected. He just closed his eyes and rested his forehead against mine.
“I thought you were going to kiss me.” I backed up slightly and cupped his chin, loving the rough texture of his light beard.
“You start. I’ll follow.”
That was exactly what I needed to hear. I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck and drew him closer, and this time I didn’t hesitate. I sealed my mouth over his and pushed my tongue inside…and fuck, it felt like being home again. This wasn’t weird or awkward. It felt right. So what if we worked together? So what if until five minutes ago I wasn’t sure I actually liked him? At this very moment, he felt like the best thing I never knew I wanted. And I wanted him bad.
Danny pushed back slightly to give himself room to unbutton my shirt without breaking the connection. He yanked the fabric from my jeans then splayed his hands over my bare chest. I groaned into his mouth when he rubbed his thumbs over my nipples and then tweaked them. Hard.
“You like that, Ry? Fuck, you can’t sit still. Tell me what you want. Let me make you feel good.”
“This feels good,” I assured him in a breathy voice as I reached for his collar, running my palm over his neck before nibbling the sensitive skin under his ear. I pulled back slightly when he whimpered. “Does that hurt?”
Danny swallowed hard and shook his head. “Hurt? No, but my dick hurts. In fact, it hurts so bad I think I’m gonna pass out if I don’t unzip my jeans. I don’t want to freak you out though so just…maybe don’t bite ’cause it drives me fucking crazy.”
I smiled then. Or smirked. I couldn’t help it. He was giving me so much…power. I wanted to use it all at once. I wanted to bite, lick, suck, and make him completely nuts. I wanted him writhing, begging, and calling my name. And I wanted it all now. Complete surrender.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said as I leaned in to kiss him again. “Unbutton your shirt, Danny boy. And if you do it fast, I’ll help you out of those jeans too.”
He raised his brow in surprise but obeyed without question. No doubt he didn’t want to slow down the action any more than I did. He plundered my mouth, sucking my tongue and then my lips as we tackled the long row of buttons together. I ran my fingers down his chest as he exposed his bare skin then rested my hand on his belt buckle.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” he growled, slipping his shirt off his shoulders.
“What’s going to happen?” I asked.
“Everything.”
“Then yes, I’m sure.”
I moved my hand to my own buckle and threaded the leather through the belt loop. The clank of metal and heavy breathing echoed off the high ceilings, lending a heavy eroticism to the moment. I hoped my shaky knees would support me when I stood and lowered my zipper. I was nervous as hell, but when I saw his awestruck expression, I could tell I wasn’t alone.
“Take your jeans off, Ry. They’re looking a little snug.”
“Mmm. This feels much better,” I moaned, pushing the denim over my black boxer briefs. The thin cotton left nothing to the imagination. I was hard as a rock.
“Don’t stop now. Everything off. I’ve got to see you. Please,” he said in a raspy voice as he hovered his hand over his crotch before gripping his thick member through his jeans.
I gulped and willed myself not to purr or act hastily. I wanted this to last. “No.”
“No?” he repeated, stroking himself languidly.
“You first. Please.”
Danny didn’t hesitate. He jumped to his feet, toed off his shoes, undid his belt, unzipped his jeans, and pushed them down his long legs along with his briefs in one fell swoop. Then he kicked his clothing aside, set one hand on his hip, and reached for his beautiful cock with the other. He was perfect. Long and thick and dripping precum. I watched as he swiped his slit before gripping his shaft in a tight fist.
“Now you,” he coaxed gently. I tore my gaze from his dick back to his eyes and licked my lips. He looked like he wanted to devour me and damn, that alone was a powerful aphrodisiac.
I closed the distance between us and kissed his shoulder, then his neck, his chin, and finally his mouth. Then I wrapped my right hand over his and stroked him in tandem. The pace was slow until we found our rhythm. I bit his lip then licked it, loving his mewling gasp of pleasure.
He pulled his hand away and immediately slipped it under the elastic of my briefs and squeezed my cheeks, kneading my flesh then tracing my crack. The touch was a tease. I craved friction and I couldn’t decide where I wanted it more. He made the choice for me when he broke the kiss and stepped back to peel the fabric over my rigid cock.
“God, I can’t tell you how much I want that,” he whispered reverently.
“Take it, then.”
Danny quirked his lips in a devilish grin and then wordlessly sank to his knees. I gazed down at him in wonder. I wasn’t sure how we got here. I might have secretly wished for this, but I didn’t think it was possible. Not in a million years. But when he grasped my dick firmly and breathed me in, all semblance of rational thought evaporated.
He brushed my length over his scruffy jaw then tapped it against his lower lip and licked a seductive circle around the head. Then he glanced up at me to be sure he had my attention before he swallowed me whole. I gasped at the sensation ’cause damn, there was nothing quite like being on the receiving end of a world-class BJ. Danny rolled his tongue expertly and angled his head to take as much of my girth as he could without gagging then sucked me as though his life depended on it. It was when he hummed as he fondled my balls and teased the sensitive skin near my entrance that I knew I wouldn’t last.
“Danny, stop. I’m gonna come,” I panted.
He either didn’t hear or wasn’t listening. Or he wanted this. I tried once more to signal that I was close. He upped the tempo in response and at the last second, released me.
“Do it now. Come for me, Ry,” he commanded.
And I was a goner.
I growled as my orgasm ripped through me, sending a shiver along my spine and ribbons of jizz everywhere. My shirt, my hand, and across Danny’s chin. I held on to his shoulder for support until the last spasm passed. And then…I laughed.
Maybe the timing was odd but fuck, I couldn’t remember feeling so free
and light…and happy. Danny grinned then swiped his thumb over his chin and licked it clean.
“Oh…wow. That was amazing.”
“Good. Now help me.” He scrambled to his feet then laid flat on the sofa and motioned for me to climb on top of him.
I narrowed my eyes, suddenly unsure. “Um, did you want to…you know? ’Cause we need condoms and lube and—”
“Ry. I’m not gonna last long. Just let me hold you. Please.”
I slipped my shirt off my shoulders and quickly stepped out of my shoes, jeans, and boxer briefs then moved to his side and gingerly flattened my body over his. Danny immediately drew me into a bear hug, wrapping his arms and legs around me as he pumped his hips upward in a quest for the right amount of pressure to send him over the edge. I rocked my pelvis over his, amazed that my spent dick twitched hopefully at the insistent friction. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, lust, and need. I covered his lips and sucked on his tongue, grinding my hips seductively until he clutched my ass hard and grunted, coming with a roar a moment later.
“That’s it, baby,” I cooed while he trembled underneath me and held on to me like a life preserver.
We lay there quietly for a while. I didn’t want to be the first to move or talk but since I was literally the one on top, I figured I might not get my wish. I lifted my head from the crook of his neck and kissed his forehead. When I tried to shift my weight, he wrapped his arms around me and shook his head.
“Don’t go. Not yet.”
“I must be squishing you though,” I replied.
“You feel good. And you called me ‘baby.’ You can’t go anywhere after you call someone ‘baby’ for the first time. It’s an unspoken rule.”
I chuckled. He might have been making a joke of my accidental term of endearment. But I didn’t think so. Danny was silly but he wasn’t cruel. And something told me he liked my slip. I propped myself up so I could see his expression.
His eyes twinkled in a sated, content way and his full lips curled lazily at the corners. He liked it all right. He liked it a lot. And fuck, that made me want to switch places so I could be the one holding him in my arms, whispering gooey nicknames as though I had a right. I swallowed hard and willed myself not to blurt any sappy sentiments that would only make us both uncomfortable.
“We’re going to be stuck together,” I said.
That didn’t sound much better. And what was with my voice? It sounded husky and provocative. And maybe weird too.
Danny snickered. “Gotta wonder how the fire department would handle a call like that. ‘Sir, we’ve got two men stuck together in what looks to be semen. Do we blast them with the hose or would another hose exacerbate the problem?’ ”
I busted up laughing then rolled to my side when he bent to grab his shirt and wipe our stomachs. “You’re ridiculous and ew—are you sure you want to do that?”
“I can’t undo it and…laundry day is tomorrow anyway.” His grin was bright and happy. I couldn’t help returning it.
“Hmm. And the next day is Monday and we’re both going to be at work. This is going to be strange, isn’t it?”
“No. It’ll be normal.”
“How?” I asked incredulously. “I’m not sure I can pretend this didn’t happen. Maybe you aren’t here for the long haul but I am. At least I want to be.”
Danny hooked his leg over mine and turned sideways so we lay face-to-face. He brushed his fingers through my curls and tugged slightly. “You’re gonna stay here forever, huh?”
“It’s a good place to work. The people here are like family to me.”
“What about your real family? Are you close?”
“Not at all. I saw my mother a year ago and my dad…I don’t know, maybe three years ago,” I replied matter-of-factly.
Danny narrowed his gaze. “That’s a long time. What do you do for the holidays?”
“I stay here. It’s kind of awesome actually. I’ve spent Thanksgiving and Christmas here for six years straight. Wes always hosts a gigantic feast for his friends and some of the people who work for him. At first it was Wes, Geordie, Mike, a few of their friends from the city…and me. I thought I might feel like an awkward stray, but they embraced me. They’d all come from the same fucked-up dysfunctional environment I did. Or worse. Being around resilient people who’d made incredible lives for themselves gave me hope. It still does.
“Things have changed now. Mike is gone and Nick is here. And Nick is a fucking nut sometimes, but he loves Wes and they’re happy. Nick has a bunch of college buddies who live in the city. Eric and his husband, Zane. Josh and Finn and Grant. They come for the holidays sometimes too. It’s this warm inclusive atmosphere I never had growing up. But it’s not just at Christmas. It’s year round. No one judges the way I talk, dress or what kinds of television shows I watch. Everyone is accepting.”
“What TV shows do you watch?” he asked in a faux-serious tone.
I rolled my eyes and shoved at his chest. “You’re impossible. I can’t believe I thought it might be hard to keep my hands off you. Maybe from wringing your neck but—move it. I have to get dressed.”
Danny secured his leg tightly around mine. “Nope. You’re mine tonight. I’m not letting you go until I can teach you how to take a joke without wanting to scratch my eyes out. You’ve got a nasty temper, Ry. Don’t bite my head off. I want to know you better, and what you’re saying doesn’t make sense. You don’t talk or dress funny. Why would your parents judge you?”
“Because I’m different,” I insisted.
“I don’t see it. I’m not saying you aren’t special, but I don’t see anything odd about you. Except you’re a bit on the prickly side. I think you’re like that with people you don’t trust. The people on the inside get the sweet curly headed guy with the dreamy blue eyes. Me? I’m still picking out porcupine needles, but I’m gonna win you over someday.”
I laughed, charmed by his silly repartee. “Maybe I’m cautious. It takes me a while to warm up sometimes but once I do”—I gestured at our mutual state of undress with a knowing grin—“I’m very friendly.”
“Good to know. So why don’t your parents make the cut?”
“We don’t get along. They judge me for being queer, and I judge them for being bigots. They say they don’t care if I’m gay but they’re quick to give opinions about ‘gay culture,’ as in if you’re gay you must like RuPaul, Madonna, and own something with a rainbow.”
“And you don’t?”
“Of course I do! I’m mad about Ru, I adore Madonna, and I own a killer pair of Pride Converse I wear whenever the mood is right and—what are you laughing at?”
“I’m not…okay. I am. Is that the real you?”
“Maybe. Sometimes,” I admitted, feeling suddenly unsure and exposed. And lying beside him naked left me no room to hide.
“I like it,” he said simply. “Be you, Ry. Don’t censor yourself for anyone. Trust me, it’ll only make you unhappy in the long run.”
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
“I am.” He smiled but there was a guarded quality that didn’t invite questions.
Fine by me. We’d participated in far more personal “sharing” than the average one-night stand with your coworker warranted. Which reminded me…
“What do we do Monday? I’m not trying to be weird about this, but I need a plan.”
“I don’t have one. Do you? I mean, if you want to screw around in the break room or canoodle by the fireplace at lunch, I’m cool with that.”
“I’m not joking, Danny. I need to know that you aren’t going to—never mind, we’ll play it by ear,” I said, nodding briskly in an effort to assure myself that living moment to moment might be fun.
He fixed me with another one of those intense looks, and I could tell it was on the tip of his tongue to ask what it was he wasn’t supposed to do. But he let it go. He unhooked my leg and sat up. When I scrambled to reach for my boxer briefs, he plucked them away and threw t
hem across the room.
“No clothes. Let’s see what’s in my freezer. I bet I have frozen pizza or something. We can eat in front of the flat-screen and watch RuPaul or Will and Grace. And we won’t worry about tomorrow ’cause that’s in the future and this is now,” he finished sagely. “Just relax, baby…and enjoy.”
“But Monday—”
“Monday we do what we want. We do what feels right. If I feel like squeezing your ass when your customer isn’t looking, I might do it.” He stood then and shook his hips so his spent penis was inches from my face. Then he twirled his fingers in my hair and grinned. “Come on, hot stuff. Let’s get some grub.”
I admired the view as he sauntered bare-assed toward the kitchen. Actually, I admired more than his physical beauty. I liked Danny’s flair for nonsense, his sense of humor, and that he understood it sometimes took an act of bravery to be your true self. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure what to think of Danny, but I liked his resilient spirit. I wanted to know more about the upbeat tennis player turned wine student. But I couldn’t know him until I let go of my own fears and just—how had he put it? Enjoyed.
Chapter 5
An evening that began with a bet, a scorching hot kiss in the parking lot, and ended with a sexy grind session on the sofa, a blowjob, naked pizza, and then more sex might have been a one-night stand for the books. But there was real danger of a lingering twinge of regret and a slew of awkward when we resumed our normal roles as coworkers.
I was so freaking nervous on Monday. I must have wiped the bar down five times before Geordie grabbed the rag from my hand and swatted my ass with it. But the second Danny walked into the tasting room and flashed a bright smile my way, I had a feeling this might not be so bad after all. In fact, it could be fucking awesome.
A potent sensual energy buzzed in the air between us all afternoon, but we couldn’t do a thing about it. The wine tasting room was packed, making it difficult to do more than share knowing glances. It was just as well. The brush of his arm against mine sent me reeling. And when he moved behind me to grab a clean wineglass from a low shelf, making sure to pull at my belt loop then brush his fingers along the small of my back, I almost passed out.