by Shawn Lane
“Are you sure you’re ready?”
“So ready.”
Another slap of his ass and the fingers withdrew. Sam’s cockhead teased along the crease of his buttocks. It felt great, but Lincoln wanted, needed, more.
Propping himself on the couch with just one hand, he fisted his erection while Sam pushed into him.
Lincoln’s cell phone sprang to life on the coffee table. The Flintstones theme ringtone.
“Are you kidding me?”
“Ignore it, Linc. Whatever it is can wait.”
Sam pushed in, balls deep. The phone stopped ringing.
“Unbelievable,” Sam muttered as he began to thrust deep, fast and hard into Lincoln.
“I’ll say,” Lincoln panted.
“You-you really are tight.”
“Talk later,” Lincoln said, echoing Sam from earlier. “Fuck.”
Sam dug his fingers into Lincoln’s hipbones, pumping into him at a frenetic speed. “Not gonna-gonna—”
“Yessss.”
Chapter 5
Sam got up the next morning before Lincoln. He left the bedroom after kissing Linc’s cheek, then went to the window in the dining room to gaze outside. It looked like it had stopped snowing. A good sign.
He texted his agent.
Weather’s getting better. I think tomorrow I’m heading back to LA.
Sam went into the kitchen to start the coffee. As he pressed the ON button, his agent texted back.
Thank God. Was going to send tanks to get you out. Need you on that plane Friday.
Sam texted back.
I’ll be there.
He opened the fridge, thinking he might as well get breakfast going. Linc spent enough time looking after others—especially Sam, it seemed—so the least Sam could do would be to make breakfast.
All of this had definitely been unexpected, Sam mused, as he took out the carton of eggs and a leftover baked potato from last night. Sure, he’d come on this trip to see Lincoln, but he hadn’t thought this would happen.
He’d been almost as surprised as Linc when he’d suggested they start something. He didn’t generally romance guys, yet now he was thinking of something…more.
But he knew he would have to be careful. His career had to be his number one priority, at least for now, and he couldn’t afford any missteps. But if he could work it out to continue seeing Lincoln after this weekend, then he wanted that.
He cut the potatoes and tossed them into a pan with a little olive oil and herbs.
Same knew his PR people would be against the relationship. But fuck them. And maybe some day he’d just come out with the truth anyway. It didn’t have to be career suicide these days.
Sam had always been a little bit in love with Linc. Gorgeous, a born leader, brilliant, hot. Okay, yeah, gorgeous and hot might make him shallow. But there was nothing wrong with physical attraction. Even extreme attraction.
The point was, he would have likely given up on his high school buddies a long time ago if it weren’t for Linc. Things had never been the same for him with the guys after Charlie died, since they mostly reminded him of Charlie.
But not Lincoln.
“What’s not Lincoln?”
Sam turned in surprise to see the man standing on the edge of the kitchen. He wore only a T-shirt and a pair of loose-fitting pajama pants. A shadowed beard covered his chiseled jaw. Damn.
“Did I say that out loud?” Sam asked, a bit breathlessly.
“Er, yeah.” Lincoln yawned. “Point me to the coffee.”
Sam laughed. “I’ll do better and pour it for you.” He grabbed a mug, filled it, added cream, and thrust it at Lincoln. “It’s stopped snowing.”
Lincoln peered outside, absently scratching his belly. “I was beginning to think it never would.”
“I’m making breakfast.”
Lincoln turned back, looking surprised. “You can cook?’
“Oh, right, you think I have a personal chef and assistants following me from set to set.”
Lincoln smirked. “Don’t you?”
“Er, well. A little.” Sam laughed. “But I still know how to cook eggs and potatoes, my lawyer friend, so sit your ass down and wait for your breakfast.”
Lincoln sat, facing out at the view of the snowy parking lot. “I’m guessing we’ll get out of here tomorrow.”
“Yeah, that’s what I think, too. My agent is thrilled.”
“You let him know?”
Sam nodded. “He was in panic mode. To delay the start of a movie is not ideal. Studios put a lot of cash into production. A delay being my fault could give me a bad rep.”
“I’m sorry, Sam. I didn’t know our little buddy-bonding could hurt your career.”
“Nah, it’s okay. I sure didn’t expect this and it’s fine. I’ll make it. It’s all good.”
“Can’t say I’m sorry for the last few days, though,” Lincoln said. “It’s been amazing. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
“Me either.” Sam flipped the eggs on two plates, then scooped up potatoes for each. He brought everything to the table with his coffee. “I’ve had plenty of fantasies of us over the years.”
Lincoln grinned. “Bet they didn’t have so much domesticity.”
“True. They were all sexual.” He watched Linc take a bit of the potatoes.
“Really good.” Linc took Sam’s hand. “You can cook for me any time.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Sam said dryly. “Since this is our last day, probably, later we should bundle up and go for a walk around the area. It’s beautiful.”
“It is. There’s stuff for spaghetti tonight if you want to have that for dinner.”
“That sounds good and easy.”
“Agreed,” Linc said. “I like easy.”
“Well, then you’ll definitely like me,” Sam joked.
“Lord.” Lincoln groaned. “Do you say that sort of shit to your girlfriends?”
“Afraid so. I’ve always been a cornball.”
“Yeah.” Lincoln looked at his plate. “I’m going to miss this. Even if this isn’t the end of us, we’ll never have this.”
“Mammoth? Yeah we won’t.”
“Or being snowed in at some rustic cabin.”
“This is one hell of a rustic condo. I think of bears and stuff when I think rustic cabin.”
“Whatever.” Linc laughed. “You know what I mean. We’ll never re-create this experience.”
“I know. Let’s go for that walk.”
* * * *
“Fuck, it may have stopped snowing, but it’s freezing,” Sam whined.
“I think my nose is frozen.”
“I have an actor friend who would say we’re the biggest wimps. What is it? Ten degrees out here?”
“Something like that.”
“They get below and shit.”
Lincoln raised his eyebrows. “I live in LA for a reason.”
“Me, too. I mean, other than being born there, growing up and all that. My parents came from snow.”
“My grandparents came from Pittsburgh.”
“See, that was cold.” Sam stopped and looked at the mountains. Probably a bunch of skiers there at that moment. Sam had never been skiing. Snow skiing, anyway. Water skiing, yeah. “It’s beautiful, though. I don’t know, Counselor, when we’re old men, maybe we should buy a place up here and retire in our dotage.”
“It’ll be way too cold when we’re ancient old men.”
Sam nodded. “You are wise.”
“Hawaii, now there’s a place.”
“Great place. But really fucking expensive.”
Lincoln eyed him. “You’re Elmer Fudd.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “We’ll see. I always thought I’d go before I was too old, getting fucked into a heart attack.”
“Jesus, Sam, you’re morbid.”
“Family history.”
“Of dying during sex?”
“No!”
Lincoln laughed. “God, you’re nuts. I
’m going to miss this. You.”
“There’s still Napa.”
“If we go.”
Sam shrugged.
“So, why Charlie?”
Sam started walking again and Lincoln followed. “He was sweet and he liked me. Charlie was never very smart. I mean, not like you. He wasn’t stupid, just not brilliant like you. Less intimidating. And when I was figuring out I liked both dicks and breasts, Charlie was there, and willing to experiment. I don’t think either of us expected us to be each other’s ‘forever,’ you know?”
“Yeah.”
“Only for Charlie, I was.”
Lincoln bowed his head. “Sorry, Sam.”
Sam smiled faintly. “The guys from high school, yeah, they remind me of those days. And sometimes I like thinking about Charlie, and sometimes, like the other night, it just makes me really sad.”
“Think you’ll come along on one of these trips again?” Lincoln put his arm around Sam and drew him close. At the moment, it seemed like they were the only two people in the world.
“Yeah, I’ll come. Not just to remember Charlie. But for you, too.” Sam bent down and started forming snow into a ball.
“Oh, shit. No, you don’t!” Lincoln laughed and dodged the snowball. “Sam, your ass is going down!”
* * * *
Lincoln couldn’t help but be reluctant to tell Sam that the roads out of Mammoth and back to LA were now open again. They both had to go back to reality. Their real lives. He knew it. Had known it was likely, almost a certainty, yesterday. Didn’t make it any easier.
He was in love with Sam. Maybe always had been. He’d known he was crazy-attracted to him. Knew he had a really soft spot for him. But it went beyond that, and after the last few days together, Lincoln could no longer deny it. He found he didn’t really want to, anyway.
They lived very different lives, though, so the chances his love for Sam would get anywhere were pretty fucking low. And anyway, he doubted Sam shared his feelings, not to that extent anyway, even if Sam didn’t have that whole “Hollywood Straight Celebrity” thing going on.
Lincoln was left with the decision whether to tell Sam of his deeper feelings or just let it go. Let Sam go.
He made coffee for both of them, drank his, then carried the mug into the bedroom for Sam, who was only just stirring under the covers.
Sam smiled at him, then smiled wider when he noticed the coffee. “I could totally get used to you bringing me coffee in bed.”
It was just a lighthearted comment. Nothing serious about it. One that they’d made over and over these few days. And yet, that was exactly Lincoln’s fantasy.
He sat on the bed next to Sam, who had struggled to sit up from the tangle of covers to sip the coffee. “Hey, so, the roads are open.”
“Thank God. We can finally be out of this place.”
Lincoln tried not to show his unhappiness about that. Because, yeah, he didn’t especially want to be trapped here indefinitely either, but it also meant it was over for them. Or he guessed it was. Sam would be away for four months.
Sam watched him over the rim of his mug, as if trying to figure out Lincoln’s thoughts. “What?”
“There’s no ‘what.’” He patted Sam’s leg. “We just need to pack it all up and hit the road. I’m guessing you’ll want a shower.”
“I will, yeah.” He tilted his head. “Linc, if you have something to say, just say it.”
Lincoln sighed and squeezed Sam’s leg. “I’m just…I don’t know. Bummed it’s over.”
“Maybe it isn’t,” Sam whispered.
He laughed. “Come on. Don’t give me false hope.”
Sam gave a slight smile. “Who said it’s false? You think you’ve been doing all this on your own? I’ve not been involved?”
“No, but—”
“But what, Linc? Again, I’m the one who suggested we do this. Remember?”
“But as ‘friends with benefits,’ a ‘no strings attached’ kind of thing. And sure, maybe more, but that’s been up in the air. Maybes, possibilities.” Lincoln looked away from Sam’s all-too-knowing gaze. “I want more. Hell, Sam, I’ve always wanted more. Y-you were my first crush. More than that. My first love.”
“Yeah?”
Lincoln looked back at him, half-expecting to see mockery on Sam’s face, but he found only open curiosity. He exhaled. “All through high school I was sporting a boner over you.”
That made Sam laugh. Even Lincoln couldn’t blame him and he laughed along with him.
“You were cute.”
Lincoln snorted. “Sure. Which was why you were with Charlie instead of me. I had that geeky cut with my bangs straight across my forehead.”
“You were cute,” Sam insisted. “But you were also really shy about that. About your sexuality, I mean. Almost defensive.”
“Yeah.” Lincoln nodded. “And anyway, I thought you were straight then. My point is, over the years we’ve been friends, it’s become more than a crush. I think—no—I know I organized this whole mountain weekend because I wanted to see you. I know how crazy that sounds. How pathetic. And I think I’m just admitting that to myself. It was great seeing everyone, but you—”
“You big dope. I came along to see you. God, you’re so slow sometimes. I told you, I don’t like to play in the snow. And those other guys? Sure, it was really good seeing them. Talking about old times and Charlie and all that. But that was high school, Linc. We’ve all moved on from that. I hate to say this, but if I never saw any of them again, it would be okay. They’re great guys. But I don’t know them anymore. I came because of you. I want more than getting together with you in December for dinner. Or a summer barbecue at your brother’s.”
“You do?”
Sam shook his head, clearly in exasperation, as he grabbed the collar of Lincoln’s shirt with his free hand and kissed him, hot-coffee-tongue and all. “I do now,” he said when they paused for breath. “I’m not sure I was ready for that even a year ago. Even six months ago.”
Six months ago, he had seen Sam at his brother’s summer barbecue. Lincoln remembered Sam doing a lot of flirting that day. Sam was always a flirt. He knew that. Yet back then, Lincoln wouldn’t have even thought of the two of them together. Well, yeah, he’d fantasized, sure, but he didn’t expect it to happen. Ever. But it had.
The last time he’d seen Sam before this trip had been in early December when they’d gotten together at Lawry’s in Beverly Hills for their annual holiday dinner, which they’d done since leaving high school. Sam had brought a date. Amber, her name had been, a model. Blonde and impossibly beautiful. Lincoln had brought the guy he had been seeing at the time, too. He hadn’t planned on it until Sam had asked if he could include Amber. Lincoln hadn’t wanted to be the third wheel at his own annual dinner, so he’d invited Chad.
Sam’s lips curved as he watched the thoughts flying through Lincoln’s head. As though he could read minds, he asked, “Whatever happened to that guy, Chad, you were seeing just a month or so ago?”
“Oh, him.”
Sam laughed. Kissed him. “Yeah.”
“Not sure where he is these days. We broke it off before Christmas. What about Amber?”
Sam shrugged. “Broke up when she started posting all over social media that she was about to become Mrs. Stryker.”
Lincoln snorted. “Was she?”
“Not a chance.”
This time, he kissed Sam, slow and deep, perhaps with far too much promise if they were ever going to get on the road and out of there.
When he pulled back, reluctantly, because Sam had started making those little noises that went straight to his cock, Lincoln took a deep breath. “How would you feel if I told you I was a little bit in love with you?”
“Just a little?”
“Well, I’d want to know how you felt about that before I got to anything more.”
Sam nodded. “Okay. I’m a little bit in love with you, too.”
“Thank God.” Then Lincoln winced.
“This is really fucked up.”
“How?”
“You are a, quote, ‘Straight Celebrity,’ unquote. And you’re about to go make a film that will keep you away for four damn months.”
“Yes.” Sam set his now-empty mug on the table next to the bed, then pulled Lincoln on top of him. “Let’s fuck.”
“How does that solve anything?” Lincoln asked as he framed Sam’s face and leaned down to kiss him. His cock was hardening and rising, pushing against his briefs, wanting to be released.
“Oh, it doesn’t. But I really want to feel you all over me before we leave here today.”
“Sam—”
“Later.”
* * * *
They stood beside their packed vehicles, ready to hit the road to LA. A chill remained in the air, but the sky was a stunning, crystal blue that rivaled the color of Sam’s eyes.
They leaned against each other, foreheads touching, arms wrapped around waists, not ready to let go.
“So you leave Friday?” Of course Lincoln knew that. Had to hear it again.
“Yes.”
“There’s still a couple of days until then.”
Sam smiled. “Want to come over to my house tonight? After we both get back and settled.”
“Can I?”
He laughed. “Yes. Listen, it won’t be four months straight. There are week breaks here and there. Like there’s one after Dubai.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“And we can talk. Maybe you can even come to one of the locations for a bit. I think after the break following Dubai, we shoot in Toronto.”
Lincoln thought about it. “I can do Toronto.”
Sam closed his eyes. “We’ll make it work, babe. Because we want to.”
Lincoln inhaled his scent. Let it wash over him. “We do. And we will.”
Sam kissed him again, then disentangled himself from Lincoln, heading to his car. “Hey.”
Lincoln smiled. “What?”
“Being snowed in with you was the best.”
“It sure was.”
Sam opened his car door. Blew him a kiss. “Maybe we can do it again sometime. Ask your friend Ellen.”
“I will. Next winter, maybe.”
“Or, I don’t know, we could go to Napa. Or Hawaii!” Sam grinned.
Lincoln laughed. “Much warmer.”