Recovering quickly, he stood and said, “Brent?”
“Yeah. You must be Cody.” Brent walked over and sat down across from him, Cody trying not to ogle his compact, banging body too obviously. They ordered beer and appetizers and shot the breeze, checking each other out. Cody prided himself on his gaydar, but he wasn’t getting a clear signal from Brent. He seemed like a wholesome boy from Kentucky, the type any girl would love to bring home to Mama. Cody favored the direct approach, so after fifteen minutes of small talk, he sat back and let Brent have it.
“What made you answer my ad?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, besides the Mary Oliver thing.” Cody tapped his fingers on the poetry book then leaned forward. “Listen, I’ll just lay it out there. You seem pretty straight. My ad did say ‘friends’ as well as lovers, so if that’s what you’re looking for, that’s cool. Sorry if I seem blunt, but I like to get the cards out on the table.”
The color rose in Brent’s face, but Brent held his gaze. “I’m looking for a change. Um, it hasn’t been working with women, and I’ve had some… um, feelings that made me wonder. But I’m from a small town in Kentucky so… yeah. I’m, I don’t know, I guess I’m looking to experiment.”
Cody suppressed the impulse to do a fist pump. “Well, I’m all for experimentation.” He gazed at Brent’s full lips then gave him an encouraging smile.
Brent smiled shyly in return before glancing at his phone. “Oh, man, I’m gonna have to go soon. I’m meeting my brother and his fiancée for dinner.”
“Oh, okay.” Wondering if this was a ploy to get out of the situation, Cody waited to see what Brent would say next.
“So, tell me about your music. You said you compose and also play?” They fell into talking about Cody’s music and the concerts Brent had covered for the magazine. Then Brent mentioned his writing, and Cody asked him about what he was working on. They were still talking when Brent’s cell phone rang thirty minutes later.
“Crap, I’m late.” Brent grabbed the phone. “Darrell? Yeah, sorry, I got talking with a friend, and…. Okay. I’ll be there soon. What? Oh, no. You know I’m not interested in her. Didn’t you tell Melinda? Jeez.” Brent looked up and straight at Cody. “Um, you know what? I’m gonna bail on you guys tonight. Yeah. Yeah. Something’s come up.”
As Brent talked, he ran his eyes over Cody’s body, and Cody’s fingers twitched.
“Sorry. Make up some excuse. I’ll catch you later, bro.” Brent turned off the phone. “You know, I set up getting together with my brother tonight in case this turned out to be a disaster.”
“I figured.”
“But, um, I’m enjoying this.”
Cody’s heart gave a thump. Brent was so damn pretty when he blushed. “Me, too. Wanna take this party elsewhere? There’s some good clubs around. Maybe I can help you do some research for that Georgetown article.”
“Okay. Good. I’ve got a few we can go check out. Or—” and then he stopped, looking uncertain.
Cody leaned forward, his fingers brushing against Brent’s. “Or?”
“You could come to my place, and I could show you that story I was telling you about.”
Cody sat back and smiled. This whole evening was going way beyond his expectations. The bi-curious straight boy was looking at him with heat in his eyes and inviting him home.
“I’d love to.”
Chapter Seven
Brent opened the door to his apartment, feeling sweat trickling from his armpits, and invited Cody in. He moved to pick up the newspapers and shirts littering the sofa.
“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting guests.” Oh, great, that sounded lame.
“No problem.” Cody glanced around, then walked over to the bookcase and started checking out the books.
“You do that, too?” Brent asked. “When I’m in someone’s place for the first time, I go right to the bookcase to see what they read.” And now I’m babbling. “Um, can I get you something to drink? I have some beer.”
Cody straightened up and leaned against the bookshelf, shaking his head. Tall and buff in his tight jeans and form-fitting shirt, Cody was really quite… something. Sexy. That was the word for it.
Brent’s mouth grew dry when Cody walked over with a purposeful stride and stopped in front of him. He took Brent’s hand—Brent hoped his palm wasn’t too clammy—and sat down on the couch, pulling Brent to sit down beside him. “So.”
Cody’s blue eyes were warm, but despite his friendliness, Brent’s stomach roiled. He let go of Cody’s hand. “So.” Wincing at the hoarseness in his voice, he wiped his palms surreptitiously on his jeans.
“You’ve never been with a man before.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Right.” Brent began to lick his lips, then pulled his tongue back into his mouth, embarrassed. He lowered his eyes. Cody put his hand on Brent’s knee and zing. A pang of desire shot through Brent’s dread.
“You still interested in experimenting?” Cody asked, and squeezed his knee.
Brent was finding it hard to breathe. Wasn’t he supposed to be showing Cody his story? Then damn Mary Oliver chimed in on the proceedings, asking him how he was doing on living a wild and precious life.
Fuck it. He turned to face Cody. “Yes.”
Cody leaned in and kissed him, lips warm, and Brent was surprised by the stubble grazing his chin. Pulled forward by Cody’s strong, assertive hands, he felt Cody’s hard bicep when he grasped his arm for balance. Head swimming at Cody’s undeniable masculinity, Brent opened his mouth to Cody’s exploring tongue, gasping as Cody pulled on his lower lip with his teeth and then sucked on it. Cody ran a hand under Brent’s shirt, calloused fingers stroking his back, while the other came down squarely on the front of Brent’s jeans and pressed against his cock.
Brent jumped, then opened his legs and pushed back against Cody’s hand, fire spreading through his groin, head falling back against the sofa. Cody moved his mouth to Brent’s neck and sucked, hard, all the while keeping a rhythmic pressure against his cock. Brent’s breath came in short gasps, and he raked his fingers down Cody’s back as a moan escaped his lips.
“Shit, you’re hot,” Cody muttered against his neck. “I wanna suck you off, is that okay?”
“Yeah,” Brent gasped out. He wanted it so badly, he didn’t even think about what it meant. Brent lifted his head to watch as Cody kneeled between his legs, unzipped his jeans, then pulled them and his underwear down.
Cody paused, glancing up at him. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” When Cody wrapped his hand around him, Brent reeled. Jesus, he wasn’t ready for it to be this hot. “Oh fuck.”
“Your cock is perfect,” Cody whispered, stroking it slowly.
Brent panted and grabbed the sofa cushion, then bit back a groan when Cody slid his mouth over his cock. He’d been sucked off by women, and this shouldn’t be so different, but it totally, undeniably was. The way Cody pinned him down by the hip and cupped his balls, the way he opened his mouth and took Brent in, swirling his tongue around the head, and, God, the way he sucked him… holy fuck. Brent came in a sudden blinding rush, way sooner than he wanted to, not able to stifle a loud cry as he bucked into Cody’s mouth.
“Oh, God,” Brent whispered when it was over. “Sorry I was so fast.”
“Mm” was Cody’s only response.
Brent ran his fingers through Cody’s hair, while Cody pulled his mouth off and kissed Brent’s stomach where his shirt had ridden up.
“Thank you,” Brent said, then felt like a fool.
But Cody laughed, looking pleased. “You’re welcome.” When he moved to pull up Brent’s underwear, Brent stopped him.
“Wait. I’d like, um, well, how about we get naked and take this to the bedroom?” He felt his face flush, but he met Cody’s gaze straight on.
A slow smile spread over Cody’s face. “You’re amazing,” he whispered. He rid Brent of his underwear and pants, ran his hands up his legs, then leaned up and started to
unbutton his plaid shirt, kissing each new expanse of skin as he uncovered it. “God, your skin is flawless.” He teased his tongue back and forth over Brent’s nipples.
Brent lay back on the couch, overwhelmed. He’d never been this turned on, or was it that he’d never been turned on quite like this? He didn’t care. All he knew was he wanted more.
Chapter Eight
“Come on, guys, come in!” Bette beckoned to Cody and Aurora from the edge of the water, gentle waves rocking the Chesapeake Bay behind her.
“In a few,” Aurora called and took a languid sip from her drink. “Ah, that sun feels so good.”
“I know. I may go back to the house for another nap, I’m so relaxed.” Cody tilted his head back on his beach chair and let the sun warm his face.
“That’s Cape Charles for you. Better than Ambien.”
He gave her a lazy smile and closed his eyes. They’d been spending the Labor Day weekend at Cape Charles on Virginia’s Eastern Shore for several years, ever since their friends Dale and Andy had opened a bed and breakfast a few blocks from the Bay. Cody loved Cape Charles with its tree-lined streets, Victorian houses, and small-town ambience.
Aurora’s voice sounded next to him. “So how’s your love life? You seeing anyone else from Match.com?”
“You mean, besides Brent?”
“Yeah. You had a bunch of prospects, as I recall.”
“Naw, I’m… me and Brent are concentrating on getting to know each other.”
“A month with the same person. Wow, this is your longest monogamous relationship since Eliza!”
He opened his eyes and squinted at her. “What of it?”
“Oh, nothing. I thought when you decided to date men again you were going to… you know.” She made a vague gesture.
“Hook up? Sleep around? Do what you think gay guys do?”
Aurora sat up straight. “No! Not necessarily. Do what I think you do. You’re the one who had three women on a string.”
“Hmm. That’s true,” Cody conceded. They’d been nice, but he’d dropped them like hot potatoes when gorgeous Brent entered the picture. He’d been too busy initiating Brent into the magical world of gay sex.
“I’m kind of intrigued, that’s all.”
“Intrigued by what, sugah?” Bette stood in front of them, dripping and beautiful in her turquoise bathing suit, brown skin glistening.
“That was a short swim. By how Cody hasn’t been with anyone else since he and Brent got together.”
Bette sat down on the beach blanket and reached for her towel. “So is this serious? I mean, isn’t Mr. Brent pretty straight?”
“He was.” Cody smirked, thinking about all the sex acts he’d been teaching Brent and how responsive Brent had been, like a kid in a candy store….
“Get your mind out of the gutter, boy.”
Bette’s voice snapped him back to the present. “Why? We’re having a good time. Why’re you guys on my case?”
Aurora and Bette exchanged a glance. “We just don’t want you getting hurt,” Aurora said.
“It’s probably best not to fall for him,” Bette said. “In case after his ‘experimentation’ he goes back to being straight.”
“Jeez, guys. I’m not falling for him. He—” Cody’s phone buzzed, and he snatched it up. Brent. “I gotta take this call.” He rose from his beach chair with as much dignity as he could manage, given how the girls were cackling. Like witches.
“You got it bad, boy,” called Bette.
As he walked along the sand and said hello to Brent, Cody congratulated himself on being a grown-up and not flipping the bird at the two witches chortling on the beach blanket behind him.
Chapter Nine
Brent collapsed on the bed face-first in a sweaty, satiated heap, feeling the burn as Cody slowly withdrew. He heard Cody whisper, “Be right back,” and summoned up enough energy to grunt in response. Even though he and Cody had done a lot to prepare him for it, Brent had been afraid anal would hurt. It had at first, but once Cody found Brent’s prostate…. Brent shivered, reliving the amazing sensations Cody’s cock hitting his sweet spot had set off. His orgasm had been intense. Okay, I’m officially into gay sex.
Something warm and wet landed on his back. “What?”
“Washcloth. Roll over.” Cody launched himself on the bed and plucked the washcloth off Brent.
“Ugh, wet spot.” Brent scooted over and let Cody clean him up. “Sorry about the sheets.”
Cody laughed. “That’s all you have to say after your first time bottoming?”
“It was good.”
“Man, I must be slipping. I was aiming for fan-fucking-tabulous.”
“That too.”
“All right. You did great. How’re you feeling?”
Brent smiled at Cody’s enthusiasm. “Okay. A little sore.”
“Yeah. That’s—”
Brent’s cell phone buzzed with Darrell’s name on the display. He picked it up and rolled away from Cody to answer. “Hey, dude.”
“What’s up? We still on for tonight? Ari’s coming around seven.”
“Sure. I’ll pick up the pizzas.”
“Awesome. Boy’s night in! Poker and video games.”
“See you in a few.” Brent put down his phone and got out of bed.
Cody sat up with a puzzled expression. “Where’re you going? I thought I’d cook us some dinner.”
“Sorry, I can’t tonight. I’m getting together with my brother and some friends. We play poker.”
“I like poker.” Cody gave him a winsome smile.
“Um….”
“Just kidding. Have fun with your brother. Hey, wanna take a shower together?”
Brent followed Cody into the bathroom, appreciating Cody’s laid- back approach—to sex and everything else. They were getting together after work several times a week, but no one in Brent’s life knew about it, and Brent was happy to keep it that way.
While they were drying off, Cody asked, “What’s tomorrow look like?”
“I’m booked.” Brent and Graham had fallen into spending Sundays together, especially since Hunter’s travel schedule had gotten crazy. They usually went to galleries or a movie, and then to another of Graham’s favorite restaurants, Graham exuberant about getting to introduce Brent to every ethnic cuisine he could think of.
“Okay. I have rehearsal Monday. How about Tuesday?”
“I’ve got that writing class. Wednesday?”
“I’ve got my gig in Arlington. Can you come?”
Brent thought. “Yeah, that should work. Cool, I’ll finally get to hear you play.”
Chapter Ten
On Wednesday evening, Brent sat in his cubicle, stuck for words. The magazine office had finally emptied of staff, for which Brent gave silent thanks. He had to finish this review so he could get to Cody’s gig. He stared at the Miró print on his cubicle wall, trying to conjure up some deathless prose about Buddy Guy and Jonny Lang. It shouldn’t be this hard—those guys kicked some serious blues guitar ass. But to find a fresh way of saying that was the challenge.
Brent deleted half the paragraph he’d just written, then stopped at the sound of a raised voice coming from the direction of Graham’s office. He hadn’t realized Graham was still there. Brent frowned and got up to investigate because it sounded like Graham was yelling, and Brent had never heard Graham yell in the two years he’d worked for him.
As he edged closer to Graham’s office door, which stood slightly ajar, he overheard Graham say, “That’s my point. No! No, Hunter. Tell me where and I’ll be there. Why not? The election isn’t for another month, and I fucking miss you.”
Brent scuttled back to his cubicle, wanting to give Graham privacy for his phone call with Hunter, who was in Michigan working on the reelection campaign. Deciding he could finish his article at the coffee shop, Brent packed up his computer. He’d stuck one arm through the sleeve of his jacket when he heard a door slam, and he hurried to put the other arm in and get
out of there before Graham saw him. Graham’s voice behind him told Brent he was too late.
“Oh. Brent. I didn’t know anyone was still here.”
Brent turned. Graham appeared his usual unruffled self, save for the tension in his jaw, and the way his hair stood on end, like he’d been running his hands through it.
“Yeah, sorry. I was trying to get my Buddy Guy piece done before deadline.”
Graham gave him a smile that failed to reach his eyes. “Such a dedicated employee. Are you done?”
“Um, not yet. I was going to go to the coffee shop and finish it there.”
“Yes, good.” Graham nodded but seemed distracted. He leaned over to look at the Miró print. “Mind if I tag along? I need a drink after the day I’ve had.”
“Cool. But if you’re after alcohol, let’s go to Kramerbooks. Not sure the coffee shop has a great selection.”
They left the office and headed for the elevator. As they waited, Graham directed a real smile at Brent. “Hey, I appreciate you letting me come with you. I promise not to distract you from finishing your piece. I wouldn’t be being a good boss if I did that.”
Right. Unlikely, dude. Graham always distracted Brent, either astounding him with his brilliant insights or making him laugh at the hilarious things he said. It also didn’t help that Graham was so handsome Brent had a hard time keeping his eyes off him. And Brent’s sexual explorations with Cody had only heightened his awareness of Graham’s attractiveness. Not that Brent had any plans to do anything about it. Graham was his boss, and Graham and Hunter had been together for years.
Hunter. “Um, is everything okay?” Brent asked, after they’d exited the elevator.
Graham glanced at him. “Okay?”
Pushing open the door to the street, Brent focused on the busy sidewalk rather than on Graham. “I mean, with Hunter and you.”
“Oh. You heard the yelling, then.” At Brent’s nod, Graham said, “Sorry about that.”
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