The Manx Cat Guardians Boxed Set

by J P Sayle

  His breath whistled through clenched teeth at the sight of Nick’s hand speeding up and the heavy-lidded desire he didn’t hide. Molten sensations flooded his body at the heat and weight of Nick’s stare.

  Brody’s hands lay useless next to him, his mind and body overpowered by the glorious sight in front of him. He shifted his hips against the wooden floor, and Brody forgot all about the pain from falling when the need for friction on his cock took hold.

  Needy whimpers filled the room. Unsure who was making them, Brody found he couldn’t care less. The cacophony of combined moans drove Brody to distraction. His large frame tensed, powerful thighs clenched together as his cock jerked hard several times, making his eyes roll skyward when his release hit him unexpectedly. Brody’s useless hands scrabbled on the hardwood floor as he shuddered and shivered his way to climax. Breathless, Brody gasped. His eyes snapped back to Nick at the sound of his long needy moan.

  His silk-and-lace-clad body withered for long minutes before a large wet patch covered the front of his silk panties. At the sight of that heavy-lidded satisfaction, Brody wished he’d been the one to give Nick that look of fulfilment.

  Brody crawled on his knees towards Nick when he saw his legs wobble. Taking hold of his slim hips, he lowered him to his knees. Cradling Nick to his chest, he inhaled his scent. The smell of sex and sweat made him heady, so much so, Brody buried his face into Nick’s neck, needing a moment.

  Brody’s body decided it liked the smell and reacted valiantly. He gave a disgruntled huff, reluctantly shifting away from Nick’s warm heat. He reminded his sticky cock that sex was not on the table, yet. He eased back onto his heels to stand so he could help Nick to his feet.

  Brody averted his gaze and picked up Nick’s discarded clothing, offering them to him. He blew out a breath when Nick gave him a flirty wink instead of taking the clothes. He stood proud, his hands splayed on his hips, chin jutting forward as if daring Brody to make him get dressed. He hesitated for a second, and he took a couple of steps back from the tempting morsel in front of him that was egging him on.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. You can resist. You can.

  Taking another step away, Brody dropped Nick’s clothes on the bed. He walked over to the closed bedroom door, not daring to look back, scared his self-control would snap. “Tomorrow, don’t plan on working. We are going out.”

  His hand stilled on the handle.

  “I’ve got to go to Gemma’s tomorrow to look at her kitchen. She works nights so I can’t rearrange.” There was a slight edge of anxiety in Nick’s voice. He looked over his shoulder and smiled reassuringly.

  “That’s cool. We’ll work around it. Make sure you’re up nice and early.” With that parting shot, Brody rushed out of the room and went to the bathroom. He wasn’t sure if he was praying Nick would be gone by the time he got back or wishing Nick didn’t listen to him. But what he did know was all bets were off in two weeks.

  He glared down at his soggy jeans. Yeah, they needed this time.

  He cursed when not all of him agreed.

  Two weeks. Two weeks, that’s all. You got this.

  Not liking the lack of conviction he heard in his own head, Brody stripped, willing the voice to shut up.

  Nick

  Nick walked over to the large glass doors and slid one open. He stepped out, leaving behind the noisy, bustling café and Brody, who was standing in the queue waiting to get them something to eat and drink. Nick never gave him a second thought as he closed the door behind him, releasing a quiet exhale when the noise died to a low murmur.

  He stepped onto the large wooden deck. Nick’s eyes were cemented on the sight before him. Shivering at the blast of arctic air, Nick hardly noticed when several flamingos took flight. The bright blue of the cloudless sky filled with shades of white and pink. The image was mesmerising, and he fumbled to pull out his phone, desperate to capture the moment. The elegant birds flew low on the horizon, hovering over the large pond before landing. He could almost imagine he was in some far-flung exotic country with the lush greenery, gorgeous blue skies, and stunning vista.

  Excitedly, Nick checked his phone to see if he’d managed to do justice to the image. He grinned in delight at the sight of a pink-and-white bird mid-flight, its large wings open displaying the colourful feathers to the max against the sky’s blue canvas.

  Yeah!

  When tiny shivers rippled up his spine, Nick tucked his phone away and zipped up his thick, padded jacket. A jacket he’d unzipped when he’d been met with a wall of heat when they’d originally walked into the café looking for a seat to rest his aching feet. The four hours they’d wandered had been fun, but his feet had given up the ghost after the third hour. Not used to walking for so long, they’d needed a break.

  Nick sighed, wondering how Brody could keep going. He was worse than a battery-charged bunny; he just seemed to be able to keep going and going, while Nick whined for a rest like a big baby. That was until he’d seen the bank of glass windows overlooking the large pond in front of the café. Then all bets were off for his poor feet, when large bright pink birds captured his attention.

  He couldn’t remember if he’d seen a flamingo on one of the many childhood jaunts to the different zoos or wildlife parks his parents had taken him to. His brows drew together in thought, shrugging when he couldn’t recall. Nick went back to studying the beautiful birds in front of him. They somehow seemed bigger and brighter than he’d expected. The bright blue cloudless sky seemed to be the perfect backdrop for their pink-and-white bodies.

  His nose screwed up, considering how they managed to stand on only one leg for so long.

  Leaning on the wooden rail, Nick felt the sereneness of the place touch something deep inside. It almost felt as if the place was offering him a soft hug.

  Nick chuckled at his whimsical thoughts, though he had to admit the place matched his mood to perfection. The last ten days had been a real eye-opener on so many levels. Nick wasn’t sure how his feelings for Brody kept increasing. Each date seemed to make the love he felt grow stronger, dig deeper into his soul. And didn’t that just scare the shit right out of him. He licked his lips, wrapping his arms around his shivering body, thinking about Brody’s concept of dating.

  Fuck! I’m buggered.

  Nick growled, then wished he hadn’t when the birds scattered.

  He remained quiet. His hands fisted when his pulse raced to escape his new reality. He was ruined for anybody else. Hell, his past dates were… he couldn’t even remember.

  Nick wanted to grumble, but how could he when Brody went to so much effort. He was convinced there was no part of the island that they hadn’t explored or that Brody hadn’t been able to talk about. Nick wondered if Brody spent what little time they weren’t together researching. They’d visited all the castles and museums in Douglas, Peel, and Cregneash village, where they’d filmed parts of the movie Waking Ned. And so many more places he couldn’t keep track. Brody’s sheer dedication to getting to know not only the island but also Nick and all his little foibles was such a new concept. At times Nick pinched himself just to make sure he was awake and not dreaming.

  And that was something else, the dreams!

  Nick shifted.

  Looking around, he checked no one had snuck up on him. The last thing he wanted to do was scare the kids with a raging boner. His body ignored his worry and continued to misbehave at the memories of the erotic dreams that plagued him after Brody had kissed the living daylights out of him nightly, before running off to bed, alone.

  Yeah, he ran.

  Nick’s mood bucked up at the idea. He grinned, his discomfort forgotten when he envisioned Brody’s flushed and flustered face last night, when their kiss had got hot and heavy within seconds of their mouths touching. Nick had teased Brody’s lips, sucking and nibbling, attempting to entice him into losing control. He gave a harsh laugh at how it had backfired. Hell, he’d nearly come in his trousers when Brody had scolded him for pushing for more when they had
an agreement.

  He’d originally thought that he’d be able to break Brody’s two-week no-sex rule. Oh, he’d gone all out with his selections of underwear, making sure Brody got more than an eyefull. He raked his hand through his hair. Nothing had worked, and wasn’t that equal parts frustrating and wonderful. Brody, it would seem, was a man of his word. If he said no sex, then he meant no sex.

  Nick brooded.

  Four days. Come on, you can manage that!

  The door opened, and a blast of warm air hit him. He glanced over his shoulder. His lips lifted, and pleasure filled his chest when Brody grinned at him, holding up the full tray, indicating for him to come back inside. His stomach rumble at the sight of food, and he remembered why they’d come into the café in the first place. He followed Brody to the empty table next to the window and sat.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a flamingo before, have you?” Nick chattered nervously. He removed his coat and pulled the plate Brody had laid down in front of him closer. Examining the sandwich choice, he was immensely pleased to note that Brody not only got him something he liked but that also knew he always added brown sauce to his cheese sandwiches, and had picked up several packets for him.

  He munched on his sandwich, glancing around the busy café. He was a little surprised at how busy it was on a Thursday. “I thought this place would be empty when you suggested it. You know, with it being a Thursday.”

  Brody shrugged at him. “From what I read, this place is quite popular no matter the time of year. I’m just glad that the weatherman got today’s forecast right, after Monday.”

  Nick burst out laughing at Brody’s grouchy tone. He hadn’t forgotten how wet they’d got walking part of the coastal path from the Calf of Man to Port Erin.

  Brody assured him that it wouldn’t rain, because the weather forecaster had predicted cold, bright weather. Like they get it right all the time! And had Nick been able to dissuade Brody from the madness of a long hike?

  Nope.

  All Nick could do was pray to the weather gods, and who knew that shit worked?

  He hid his smile when he recalled that after only thirty minutes of walking, the heavens had opened, drenching them both. And okay, he maybe hadn’t wanted rain that was more horizontal and blinded them with its icy sting, but he supposed beggars couldn’t be choosers. He also wouldn’t have chosen to listen to Brody’s continual griping about the weather forecaster as they trudged back to the car. His rendition of the Monty Python song “Always look on the Bright Side of Life” just seemed to make Brody all the grumpier. He couldn’t understand why.

  Yeah, good times.

  “If you hadn’t insisted we go for a long walk, we wouldn’t have got soaked.” Nick pointed out the obvious, smirking at Brody’s eye roll.

  Nick felt he was glowing brighter than a glow stick when Brody took his empty hand, intertwining their fingers before resting them on the table. He continued to chat about what they’d seen this morning. His enthusiasm was too much to resist, and Nick responded, even though his feet still throbbed like a bastard.

  All too soon Brody was pulling him back out into the crisp afternoon air. They walked around the remaining areas they hadn’t seen before heading back to the car, exhausted. Nick relaxed into the heated seat, letting it take the chill off his bones. He rested his head back and closed his eyes.

  He blinked slowly, confused as to why they weren’t moving.

  “Come on, sleepy head, we’re home.” Brody’s dulcet voice and gentle hand on his shoulder had woken him. Nick looked out the window, shocked to find them sitting outside Aaden’s.

  Crap, he must be more tired than he’d thought. The activity-filled days and sleepless nights were starting to catch up with him.

  Nick harrumphed at Brody when he thought about what was keeping him awake at night. Brody’s brow quirked at him. His laughing eyes were enough for Nick to see Brody had figured out what he was grumping at.

  Flushing under his knowing stare, Nick hurriedly got out of the car, knowing he still had four more nights before… He mentally slapped himself for going there when he’d been doing his best not to think of the last time he’d come with Brody watching.

  He glared at his crotch when his dick stirred.

  Stop that!

  Nick stomped up the path with laughter ringing in his ears. He barged through the front door, ripped his coat off, and threw it over the banister. He headed straight to the kitchen, hoping Greg or Aaden would distract him.

  He halted in the doorway. Aaden pressed Greg against the centre island, kissing him as if his life depended upon it. An ugly ripple of jealousy coursed through him. His nails dug into his palms. The bite of pain was enough to make him shake off this horrible feeling of envy at watching his brother and his best friend surrounded by true happiness.

  Nick could tell they weren’t aware of him or anything else around them, so lost in each other. The tender way Aaden cupped Greg’s face made his eyes water and a ball of emotion choke him. Not wanting to get caught intruding on such an intimate scene, Nick stepped backwards.

  Air left his lungs when he bumped straight into Brody’s broad chest. He froze when large hands wrapped around his middle a second before warm air coated his cold ear.

  “Where do you think you’re going, hmmm?”

  Nick shivered at the quiet question whispered in his ear, right before Brody nibbled up the side of his neck. Suddenly breathless, Nick gulped, feeling Brody grind against his bottom. The empty ache was more than he could cope with when all he wanted to do was beg for Brody to love on him the same way Aaden loved on Greg.

  A sob tore from his throat as he pulled away and ran for the stairs. Not daring to look back for fear Brody would see how desperate he was, Nick sprinted up the stairs, slamming and locking his bedroom door. His chest heaved as he sat back against the wood, sobbing uncontrollably.

  Why does Brody have to be so honourable!

  He didn’t know how long he’d had cried, feeling utterly sorry for himself when a quiet tap on the door disturbed him from his misery. Greg asked through the door if he was all right. Nick wiped at his cheeks and scrubbed at his swollen eyes.

  He considered the closed door and ignoring Greg. Then he remembered how insistent the fucker could be. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he turned and unlocked the door with shaky hands. He pulled it open a fraction. Any hope he had of getting rid of Greg died when he saw he’d brought the cavalry. Brad and Joe stood behind him, faces filled with concern.

  He rolled his eyes heavenward, cursing the friendship gods for giving him interfering friends. He watched Brad and Joe trail in behind Greg, shutting the door. His shoulders sagged in defeat when his hope withered at being left alone with his misery.

  He went and sat on the bed. He rested his elbows on his knees, plonking his chin on his hands, and looked at the three men standing in front of him.

  He sighed in resignation at the determination coming off them in waves. It was talking time, it would seem, and Nick had a feeling this time he wasn’t going to be able to evade the inquisition.

  Brad sat on the bed next to him when he saw Nick’s defeated posture. He wrapped his arm around his shoulder, hugging him closer. “What’s up, babe? Come on, we’re your friends. You can talk to us.” Brad kept his voice light and soothing while he rubbed at Nick’s tense shoulders.

  “I love Brody,” Nick stated.

  Brad folded his lips together, hoping to stop the laughter from bubbling up when Nick sounded so dejected.

  “Nick, we know…” Brad couldn’t stop the laughter this time when Nick looked so lost at Brad’s confession.

  “When you look at any of us with our guys, can you tell we love them?”

  Nick gave Brad a “what the fuck” look. “Duh, of course. Hell, you’d need to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to see it, and even then you’d probably feel it. Shit. You guys gush mussy stuff when they’re near. Hell, you even do it when you’re not ne…” Nick swallowed. Am I the sam
e?

  A ball lodged at the back of his throat. He coughed, and his eyes watered.

  Holy shit, I’m fucked.

  Brad’s hand kneaded his tensed shoulders. Nick looked at the two men standing before him. “I’m the same, right?” Their nods did nothing to stop the panic from sliding greasily around his stomach. The urge to move wouldn’t abate. He stood and paced in front of the window, looking every now and again at the resigned men in his room.

  His agitation gave him loose lips. Verbal diarrhoea started to spill, and for the life of him, he couldn’t seem to stop once it started. All the crap he’d shared with Brody came pouring out. Not only the last ten days but all of it, all the years of misery.

  The more he talked, the easier it was, and their silence helped him to vent uninterrupted. All the anger and frustration poured out. His concerns and fears were laid bare for all to see. The usual feeling of anxiety he felt at sharing any part of himself in this way melted away. The conversation somehow freed him from the chains he’d bound himself with in the past, that had stopped him from revealing his true self.

  He stalked to the wardrobe. Yanking it open, he pulled the drawers out, gathering everything in his arms. He strode to the bed and threw the colourful display onto the duvet, leaving nothing hidden. His cheeks flamed at Brad’s mystified expression when he lifted a pair of black lace manties with a slit up the back.

  Forcing his shoulders to stay back and not round, he looked at each man, daring them to say something derogatory.

  “Wow! Oh my God, where did you get all this stuff?” Hearing the awe in Joe’s voice, Nick relaxed a fraction.

  “Look at those red pants. Can’t you see me in a pair of those? Aaden would eat his own tongue.”

  Nick laughed, pointing at Greg. “Please, you’ll scar me forever saying things like…” Nick slammed his hand over his mouth, realising too late what he’d said. His eyes begged Brad to understand.