Aftermath

by Bailey Bradford

  “Wider,” Lee said, his voice low and rough in contrast to the way he was softly stroking Darren’s hip. “Beautiful.”

  Darren wasn’t sure what the best position for his hands or arms was so he settled for stretching them out and grabbing handfuls of the sheets. He closed his eyes and shivered when he heard, then felt, Lee kneeling behind him. He flinched when his butt was caressed, expecting to feel a violent plunge into his body despite Lee’s assurances otherwise.

  “I haven’t hurt you yet, and I won’t. Trust me, at least with this, if you can.”

  “I do.” He didn’t even have to think about it. Darren took a deep breath and relaxed his body. Lee ran his hands from Darren’s shoulders to his thighs then Darren’s balls were cupped and rolled.

  “These fit my palm perfectly.” Lee tugged and Darren moaned. “And I can’t wait to feel this”—he grasped Darren’s cock, squeezed it—“buried in my ass. You have a very nice dick, long and thick, and this vein here, the one I traced with my tongue when I sucked you off, mmm.”

  Darren struggled to return the praise that had him flying but something blunt and hard slid between his cheeks, bumping at his hole. Lee’s cock, and it’s— “Oh,” Darren sighed as Lee began pressing in, the fat crown stretching Darren’s pucker. Lee released Darren’s shaft and grabbed his butt cheeks, spreading them open. “That’s so good!”

  “It gets better.” Lee’s voice sounded strained as he slowly pushed his cock in, filling Darren in a stroke so perfect he couldn’t imagine it getting better. “God, you’re so tight, you don’t know…how good this feels, the way your ass clenches around my dick, those soft, warm muscles rippling, pulling me in deeper.”

  Maybe he didn’t know how it felt to Lee, but Darren was pretty near the stupid stage Lee had promised to screw them both into. Lee slid his cock in another inch then his thighs pressed against the backs of Darren’s.

  Then Darren understood exactly what Lee meant about it getting better. Lee swiveled his hips, the base of his cock stretching Darren’s hole while the glans rubbed over Darren’s gland. Electric sparks spread out with each touch, zinging throughout Darren until he thought he’d scream from the sheer pleasure filling him.

  Lee began thrusting, long slow strokes that speared Darren so deep he thought he should be able to taste Lee. “Feel good?”

  Darren tried twice before he managed to answer. “Yeah, please don’t stop.”

  “Not planning on it,” Lee rasped. “But I am fixing to take this up a notch.”

  Darren was going to tell him that might just cause everything in his body to short out but Lee began pumping his dick into Darren harder, deeper than before. “Ahh,” was all Darren could get out as he clutched at the sheets, trying to brace himself somehow so he could push back. Darren gave up and moaned when Lee’s balls slapped against his, the sound and sensation stealing his breath.

  Lee was panting loudly, his hips slamming against Darren’s butt. He tipped his hips up and saw stars as Lee’s dick once again rubbed Darren’s prostate, albeit this time with more force. Darren’s butt was caressed, his lower back, then all the way to below his shoulders. Lee shifted behind him then Lee was surrounding him, pressing his chest to Darren’s back. Darren yelped when Lee shoved his hands under Darren and plucked and pinched his nipples.

  “Again.” Darren found his voice long enough to voice the command. Lee’s answer was to twist and pull at the hard nubs Darren had ignored except when getting cleaned up. They sure hadn’t seemed like an erogenous spot then, so maybe it was just Lee.

  “Going to fuck you, suck you, mark you ‘cause your mine,” Lee growled, sounding so possessive it gave Darren hope for the possibility of something more than just sex between them. He’d examine that thought later, when Lee wasn’t plowing into him so thoroughly, so exquisitely.

  Darren sank into the pleasure, moaning and whimpering as Lee sucked up marks on the back of his neck and his shoulders. His nipples were tormented deliciously as Lee plunged his dick into Darren over and over, battering Darren’s gland. Darren tried to slip a hand under himself to jerk his own dripping cock but Lee snarled and sat up, pulling Darren with him.

  “I told you, mine.” Lee emphasized his claim by pinching Darren’s nipples, adding a twist to make the swollen nubs burn, the pain nothing compared to how good it felt. “Mine,” Lee said again as he fisted Darren’s cock. He dipped the tip of his thumbnail in Darren’s slit and Darren howled his approval, bucking his hips and begging for more. Lee brought his other hand down to cup Darren’s balls, pushing them up against Darren’s body.

  “Yeah, baby, look at you, listen to those sexy-as-fuck sounds you make.” Lee pushed his thumbnail in again and squeezed Darren’s balls. Darren lost it, screaming as cum blasted from his cock. He vaguely heard Lee cursing as Darren’s head swam with the force of his climax. Lee kept pumping into him, groaning so much it became one long continual sound to Darren.

  Lee shoved him forward, bending him over the bed. Darren was too boneless to do anything other than kneel there as Lee shoved his dick into him roughly, his rhythm gone as he sought his release. His hands spread Darren’s cheeks open again and Lee drove in deep. Darren jolted and keened at the contact to his gland as Lee bellowed, his cock pulsing inside Darren so strongly he could feel each shot of spunk that jetted out. Lee collapsed on top of him, placing wet, sloppy kisses on Darren’s neck and cheek that made Darren’s heart flutter.

  Lee roused after a while and nipped Darren’s shoulder. “Up, come on, get in bed.”

  Darren tried but he was already half asleep. He got one leg up on the bed before letting sleep pull him under completely.

  Chapter Seven

  Lee rolled over and pried his eyes open, smiling when he saw Darren lying on his side, his head propped up on his hand. Darren’s eyes were still sleep-heavy, the lids drooping until they were almost shut before Darren managed to snap them back open. Darren’s stomach growled and Lee had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing when Darren blushed and tried to scramble away.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Lee said as he hooked an arm around Darren’s waist and hauled him close enough to steal a kiss. “Running just makes me chase you. I found you finally, don’t think I’m going to let you escape.” Not any time soon, at any rate. Darren was just too enjoyable to use once or twice then dismiss. Lee wasn’t sure what his intentions were toward Darren, but he wanted to explore this attraction between them more thoroughly.

  Darren winked at him. “What if I like you to chase me?”

  Lee’s eyebrows had to have been near to the top of his head. This was a side of Darren Lee hadn’t expected to see, comfortable enough to tease. He liked it, just as he did everything else he’d learned so far about Darren. “Well, then, I guess you’ll have to make sure I can catch you, and I will definitely have to make sure you want to be caught.” He leered and thrust his groin against Darren’s. “But maybe we should go find something to eat first so we both have the energy for it.”

  Darren sighed and looked around the room. “What time is it anyway?”

  “Seven, not late at all, why?”

  “I have to get home and take care of the chickens. Old Red is going to be a nasty twit since I didn’t feed him on time.” Darren started to get up again and this time Lee let him. He crossed his arms over his chest and tried not to glower as Darren began getting dressed.

  “You don’t even have time to eat?” Lee sat up as something occurred to him. “How are you getting home?”

  “Laine and Severo said they’d pick me up and take me home.” Darren bent to pull his underwear on and Lee caught a glimpse of pink, puffy skin nestled between Darren’s ass cheeks.

  “Is there some reason you don’t want me to take you home?” Lee was going to, if Darren insisted on leaving.

  Darren turned and frowned as he looked at Lee. “No, but I didn’t want to presume anything since, you know, I know this is just a one-night stand type deal.”

  That wasn’t e
xactly what Lee had said. Apparently those two words—‘for now’—were going to be used against him and it was his own damned fault. Lee stood and stalked over to Darren. “I did not say any such thing. I said you were mine ‘for now’ which doesn’t mean just for tonight or whatever temporary description you want to put on it. I mean, really, Darren, what was I supposed to say? We weren’t close when you lived in Jackson, and I just found you again today. Thirty minutes after that I’m swallowing your cum as you moan and shudder under my hands. Doesn’t that seem a little too quick to commit to a long-term relationship?”

  “Yes. I’m sorry for being an idiot. I just…I don’t know how to have a relationship or a…whatever this is.” Darren frowned and shook his head. “If it’s not a relationship, but it’s not a one or two-night stand, what is it? Or is a term necessary?”

  Darren seemed so puzzled Lee had to touch him. He put his arms around Darren and pressed a kissed to his parted lips. “If you have to have a term, we’re dating, taking our time and seeing where this goes, sound okay to you?”

  “Yeah,” Darren said a little breathlessly, his eyes gleaming as he nodded and held onto Lee. “Yeah, I think that’d be good.”

  Lee studied Darren until he was sure it was good with him then kissed Darren again just because he wanted to. “Okay, then. I’ll take you home tonight or in the morning—”

  Darren went stiff in Lee’s arms, gasping as his eyes widened, fear blowing the pupils wide. Lee felt a blast of cold air, too frigid to be natural, sinking into his back. He let go of Darren and spun around, jaw dropping open as the sheets spun around in the air, a good three feet above the bed.

  “What the fuck!” Lee reached behind him and pushed Darren back. “Someone is messing with us. Stay there.” He stormed over to the bed and stuck his hand in the space between the bed and the sheets. Nothing but air, very cold air. “What kind of trick is this?” Lee wasn’t scared yet, but he was getting there. He climbed onto the bed and waved his arms above the sheets. Again, cold air and nothing else. The rational part of his mind said, Duh! If there’d been strings attached to those sheets I’d have noticed it before now! The irrational part, which hardly ever got a say, pointed out, Then there’s no rational explanation for this!

  Lee grabbed the sheets. They stopped spinning, hanging still and just plain wrong in the air. Lee pulled. A corner of one sheet slithered out like a snake and tapped his cheek. Now Lee was scared. He stumbled off the bed and landed on his ass, never looking away from those sheets.

  The corner that had touched him shot up in the air then dove down at him. Lee scrambled backwards, his heart clamoring in his chest. One sheet shot past him. He heard Darren yell then Lee found himself fighting off over six-feet of material. Of all the training he had in the military, all the methods of fighting he’d learned, none of it was any help against a sheet.

  Lee’s arms were bound to his sides as the thing wound around him. He struggled and cursed then was lifted to his feet and Lee knew he’d either completely lost his mind or…or something. If he was lucky then this was all a dream. The edge of the sheet peeled back then unwound with a quickness that left Lee spinning like a top. He flailed his arms as everything sped by in a blur, then he was stopped suddenly by some invisible force.

  “Christ,” Lee gasped, blinking rapidly as everything else still seemed to be spinning, then he saw Darren standing in front of him. Bound by the fitted sheet, eyes wide with terror, and unable to scream because a portion of the material was wedged into Darren’s mouth.

  Lee hadn’t been so scared before in his life. He yelled as he grabbed the sheet and pulled. The material didn’t budge for a second then Lee was tumbling back onto his ass as the sheet came off Darren in a flash. Lee tossed it aside and pushed himself up, reaching for Darren immediately.

  Darren began to shake, his body jerking with the violent waves rolling through him. Lee enfolded Darren in his arms and peppered kisses over whatever part of Darren’s face he could reach.

  When Darren’s teeth stopped chattering, Lee was almost recovered as well. He didn’t know what had just happened, or why or how, but he knew he was getting Darren and himself out of this motel immediately.

  “Can you finish getting dressed?”

  Darren blinked at him. The high-pitched laugh Darren let loose sounded off, tinged with a hysterical note. “Y-you’re still naked.”

  Lee nodded, keeping the fact that he hadn’t even thought of that to himself. Darren was on edge, it wouldn’t do to spook him any more, and Lee was barely keeping himself from freaking out, only the knowledge that Darren needed him giving him the strength not to run from the room butt naked and screaming.

  “I’ll be dressed and packed in two minutes, then we’re out of here.”

  Darren’s nod was more of a twitch, Lee thought, but he released Darren and stepped back. “You’re okay. Whatever that shit was, we’re both okay.”

  “Yeah.” Darren shuddered then resumed dressing, not looking at Lee. “You can stay with me if you want, unless you’re going to leave after this.”

  Lee paused mid stride and turned back to Darren. “I’m not leaving yet, and I would like to stay with you.”

  Darren flicked a glance at him that made Lee’s heart lurch. “Good, that’s good.”

  That decided, they each returned to their tasks and in under two minutes, Lee and Darren were out the door.

  * * * *

  Red was in a mood when they pulled up in Lee’s Camaro. The rooster made getting to the house a challenge, chasing after them and nearly catching them as Darren and Lee ran up the porch steps.

  “Christ,” Lee panted, “between that damned rooster and the sheets, we’re lucky we haven’t been hurt.”

  Darren snorted as he unlocked the door and turned the knob. “Yeah, we’re physically unhurt. Mentally I know I may be scarred for life.”

  “You and me both,” Lee muttered. “I want to know what the hell happened back there, but maybe if we get a good night’s sleep we’ll be able to think a little more clearly about it. Right now I just keep getting more confused the more I think about it. I cannot make sense out of it!”

  Lee sounded so frustrated Darren wanted to hold him and soothe his frayed nerves like Lee had held him when Darren had broken down. He doubted Lee would go for that, though. “Okay, we can sleep on it and deal with it tomorrow.” Darren would have to tell Lee about Severo and hope Lee didn’t think they were all nuts. He had a feeling Severo, and maybe Laine, were the only ones who would believe them. If Lee didn’t believe him then Darren didn’t know what he’d do.

  Lee’s hand rubbing at the small of his back drained some of the anxiety from Darren, the possessive gesture chasing off the last of the chill that had lingered in him after the weirdness in the motel. He led the way into the house. Lee tucked his fingers into Darren’s waistband and tugged. “Let me lock this.”

  Darren was going to but it felt nice to have Lee taking charge. He waited while Lee locked the screen door first then closed and locked the heavy wooden door. Not that Darren thought the locks would do any good against whatever had come after them earlier. The deep frown turning down Lee’s mouth at the edges probably meant he was thinking the same thing.

  The frown turned into a strained smile as Lee faced him. “Done.” He looked past Darren into the living room. Darren turned and looked as well. Over the past couple of months he’d gotten used to the crocheted throws that covered the couch and chair and the numerous porcelain knick-knacks that were set on just about every flat surface. The dark wood paneling would have made the place gloomy if there hadn’t been so many lamps.

  “Did all this come with the place?”

  Darren laughed as he waved a hand at the décor he privately thought of as old lady chic. “Yeah. I didn’t have anything other than the clothes on my back when Virginia picked me up on 97 and brought me to McKinton.”

  Lee’s mouth tipped down again at the corners as he rubbed at his forehead as if it ached. “I
wish I had found you sooner. I tried. I got out of the military and went back to Jackson and you were gone. Mom and Dad were already in the process of moving up to Idaho to be near her family. No one knew where you were or what happened to you.” Lee stopped rubbing and gently cupped Darren’s cheek. “What happened to you, Darren? Where were you these last two years?”

  Darren was already rung out and the questions only made him feel more emotionally vulnerable than he already did. All he really wanted to do was shower and sleep—eating could wait, but Lee deserved answers since he’d been trying to find Darren for so long.

  “Come into the kitchen. We’ll fix some sandwiches and I’ll tell you everything.” Lee was probably hungry, and Darren would eat, too. It wouldn’t take him long to tell his tale.

  “All right, I appreciate it. You don’t seem eager to talk about it, but I’d like to hear anything you’re willing to tell me.”

  Darren took Lee’s hand, hoping it was okay to do so. Lee linked his fingers through Darren’s and smiled, and Darren lit up inside like he had his own personal sun. “It’s just that there’s not much to tell. It’s kind of pathetic, really,” Darren said as he walked beside Lee until they came to the kitchen. He started to pull his hand free—they wouldn’t fit through the doorway, not with Lee’s broad shoulders.

  Lee shook his head and kept Darren’s hand in his, swinging them just a little. “I like this.”

  Darren did too, but— “It’ll be hard to fix dinner like this. Dangerous too, if there’s any knives involved.”

  “You have a couple of good points.” Lee let go of his hand and Darren preceded him into the kitchen.

  Darren gestured to the battered wooden chairs at the table. “Have a seat and I’ll get the stuff out.”

  “If you’re sure you don’t want me to help.”

  “I am.” Darren went to the cabinets first and took out two clean plates. He set them on the table then strode to the refrigerator. “All I’ve done the past two years until settling here in McKinton was scrape by. I’ve been homeless, hungry and a bunch of other unpleasant things, but I came out okay. I left Jackson right after Stefan’s funeral—literally. Mom was gone, Stefan, and I couldn’t face running into your folks since I’d let Stefan down so badly.”