The Doctor Takes a Detour

by Bren Christopher

  “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” Josh grasped Ian’s hands, pushing them down before he flipped their positions. With a startled gasp, Ian was bent over the counter.

  Josh trapped Ian’s hands at the small of his back, pushing him forward. He draped over Ian and purred into his ear. “That all you got for me, soldier boy?”

  Ian looked over his shoulder at Josh, a light dancing in his eyes. “Oh, I see how it is.”

  And then somehow he’d slipped right out of Josh’s grip, and Josh was against the kitchen wall. His laughing protest was stifled as Ian took his mouth again in a hungry kiss.

  Playfulness faded as heat pooled in Josh’s belly and he clutched Ian closer.

  Ian broke the kiss. His hands roamed Josh’s body, rubbing his nipples, cupping his ass, moving in constant pleading strokes. “Josh. Please . . .Will you . . .”

  “Whatever you want.” Josh gave Ian’s neck a kiss, then couldn’t resist a lick, loving the salty-sweet taste of Ian’s skin. “Any way you want it.”

  That was kind of a lie though. Josh knew what he wanted. Ian’s taste was addictive, and Josh wanted more. He reached for Ian’s zipper, intending to free him—to feel, to taste—but Ian gripped his wrist and pulled him out of the kitchen. “Bed.”

  That did sound better to his knees than the tiled floor but damn, walking with this hard-on was painful. Josh tugged his own pants open to loosen the constriction.

  “Hey, that’s my job.” Ian hauled him down the short hallway, through the doorway to the bedroom, and then pushed him onto the bed.

  Josh fell back with a surprised laugh that turned into a whoosh of breath as Ian landed on top of him.

  Grinning at Josh, Ian bumped their noses together. Josh couldn’t help returning the smile. Christ, the man was like an overgrown puppy or something, all friendly energy.

  Ian’s face turned serious. “Dr. Parker, please remove your clothing. It’s time for your exam.”

  “Oh yes? And will this be a comprehensive examination, Mr. Manolas?”

  Full lips covered Josh’s in a deep kiss that sucked the breath from his lungs.

  Ian drew back. “Oh, I plan to be very thorough, Dr. Parker.” He rose to take off his own shirt and toss it to the floor. It landed with a rattle of the silver chain Josh had seen peeking from Ian’s collar.

  Then Ian’s hands were on him, magically divesting Josh of his clothes, and somehow managing to disappear his own pants at the same time. Apparently, Ian could be damn efficient with enough motivation.

  Breathless from the speed and the fast, deep kisses, Josh turned his head to suck in some air when Ian stretched his naked body out on top of him, reaching to give another kiss. It landed on Josh’s cheek instead of his mouth.

  Ian drew back, a line of worry appearing between his brows. “Too much?”

  “Need to catch my breath.”

  “Sorry.” Ian pulled away. Josh felt like he’d just kicked that puppy.

  “Not that far.” Josh grabbed him, wrestling him into position until Ian lay half on top of him. Running his hand down Ian’s back, he stroked every inch, exploring firm skin roughened with a sprinkling of dark hair and a few scars, tracing the edges of tattoos. “You feel great.” He pressed his face against Ian’s neck. “And you smell good.”

  “So do you.” With Ian’s mouth buried in Josh’s hair, his words were barely audible. “Can I kiss you again yet?”

  “No.” He felt Ian stiffen. “But I can kiss you.” He flipped them until Ian was under him, blinking up for the brief moment before Josh ravished his mouth, tongue thrusting deep as he squirmed against the body under him, savoring the delicious friction as Ian’s hardness ground against his own dick. The slickness of pre-come reminded him that he needed a taste of that.

  Josh kissed his way down Ian’s stomach, biting and licking the salty skin. He wanted to explore every inch of the body under him, take his time over every tattoo on Ian’s chest. But more than that, he wanted to feel the shaft in his mouth. He made one stop, pausing to tweak and nip at erect nipples, drawing a sexy, helpless moan from Ian that Josh felt in his own belly.

  “Nice.” Josh hefted the hard, heavy weight in his hand and then licked a broad stripe up the underside of Ian’s shaft, drawing another strangled moan from deep in Ian’s chest. Josh rather liked the noisy incoherence and proceeded to see how wild he could drive Ian, using lips, tongue, and hands.

  When Josh had Ian chanting his name—at least that was what he thought Ian was saying—and begging to come, Josh finally swallowed him, sucking and stroking the base with his fist until Ian arched off the bed. The simple pleasure Ian seemed to take from the act echoed in Josh’s chest, filling him with a surge of unexpected delight. Ian was so responsive, so unreserved in his enjoyment of everything Josh did to him.

  Josh pulled back at the last minute, using his fist to pump Ian through a fantastic orgasm, judging by the noise and the forceful spurts of come that hit Josh on his chin and neck.

  He grinned up at Ian, one hand still pumping as he wiped come from his face with his other hand.

  “Stop,” Ian gasped, pushing at his shoulder. “God, stop.”

  Josh chuckled, letting go of Ian’s softening, oversensitized dick. Ian hauled him up, and Josh settled next to him.

  “Look at you.” Ian ran a thumb along Josh’s chin and cheek, wiping off the last of the come. “That’s fucking hot.”

  Josh propped himself up on his elbow, smiling down at Ian. “I wanted to swallow. To taste you.”

  Ian closed his eyes, groaning. “You’re killing me here.” Then he opened his eyes. “I get tested regular.”

  “I figured as much. Me too. But, you know, I thought we should talk about it first.”

  “That was fucking amazing either way.” He moved until he was stretched on top of Josh, pushing him down into the mattress to give him another one of those deep kisses—less urgent now, but just as deep. Stroking Josh back to full hardness, Ian rolled Josh’s balls between his fingers.

  Josh shifted more onto his back and lifted his knees to give Ian access to anywhere he wanted to play.

  “My turn,” Ian said. “I want to taste you.” But instead of working his way down to Josh’s impatiently twitching cock, he moved until he kneeled over Josh, running his hands down Josh’s sides.

  “Ah.” Josh cleared his throat. “It’s down there, buddy.” He indicated the southerly direction with a tilt of his head.

  “We’ll get there.” Ian gave Josh’s nipples a twist.

  The spark of pleasure-pain sent a jolt from chest to belly, and Josh’s hips surged.

  “Oh, I like that.” Ian licked and bit at the nubs while stroking the inside of Josh’s thigh, rubbing his taint and squeezing his balls—basically touching him everywhere except where Josh needed it most. Driving him mad.

  “Ian . . . Ian . . . Damn . . . Would you . . .” Josh was babbling. He never babbled. His skin was on fire.

  Ian swept his gaze down Josh’s body. “Beautiful.” His fingers traced a circle on Josh’s stomach. “Damn, you’re beautiful.”

  Josh wasn’t about to argue with him at this point. Let the man have his delusions if it got him down to business. He slipped a hand around the back of Ian’s neck and pulled him down as if for a kiss. At the last minute, he shoved Ian downward, smiling at Ian’s shocked bark of laughter.

  “Okay, okay.” Ian chuckled. “I get the hint.”

  It had been a bit more than a hint, but— Josh sucked in a breath as his cock was enveloped in wet heat. Spikes of pleasure radiated from his spine, his groin, ran along his skin and caught in his chest. He struggled to lift his head, wanting to look down at Ian. The sight of his shaft sliding between those full lips . . . and God, the expression on Ian’s face. His eyes were closed in evident enjoyment, but that little line of concentration between his brows . . . So focused, so intent on making this good for Josh. Could there be anything hotter?

  “I’m—” He tried to warn Ian,
but a final strong suck from Ian’s lips and a squeeze of his balls drew a shout from him, and then the world disappeared into endless pulses of heat.

  Eventually, the world came into focus again, and Josh heaved a long, shuddering breath as his heart slowed. He blinked up to see one very smug Ian smiling down at him, licking his lips like a cat that had eaten not only the canary but the mouse and the cheese as well.

  “Proud of yourself, aren’t you?”

  Ian bobbed his head in agreement.

  “Except for this.” Josh flicked the corner of Ian’s mouth, wiping off the white spot of semen.

  Ian licked his lips. “You taste damn good.”

  Josh shook his head. “I thought we were going to talk first.”

  “We did. You said you were tested.”

  “I know, but . . .”

  “And you were in a monogamous relationship. I bet you used condoms with him.”

  “You bet. You don’t know.” He drew Ian down on top of him until Ian rested his head on Josh’s shoulder and they were stretched out together. Drowsiness swept over him in a wave. “As it happens, you’re right. It’s fine. It was a little reckless of you, that’s all.”

  “I suppose so.” Ian’s voice trailed off into a light snore.

  That was quick. Smiling, Josh ran his fingers through Ian’s short, thick hair. God, he hadn’t had so much sheer fun in bed in years.

  When the alarm on his phone went off the next morning, Josh let out a low string of curses. He slapped it off, then looked over at Ian, but that side of the bed was empty. The quiet clinking of dishes in the kitchen accompanied the smell of coffee.

  Settling back against the pillow, he gave a long stretch, wincing just a bit. Ian had woken him late in the night for another vigorous round of lovemaking. He wrinkled his nose. Lovemaking? Really? But that was how it had felt. Not like a one-night stand, but more like they were building something. The lovemaking . . . the whole night . . . felt like potential.

  He was tired, a little sore, and happier than he’d been in ages. Not a bad way to wake up. Smiling, he blinked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. An unremarkable ceiling, but the rest of the room . . . that was a surprise. Handcrafted cypress furniture filled the spacious bedroom, the rustic decor set off by blue-green walls and striped blue and green bedding.

  Dark-blue curtains framed the windows and the scenery beyond. Similar to the view from the back deck, the bedroom faced a tangle of low-lying foliage, cypress, buttonwood, and the bay waters beyond.

  “Hey.” Ian appeared in the doorway, carrying a coffee cup in each hand and clad only in boxers, tattoos, and a smile.

  Josh let his gaze linger. “Now that’s a sight worth waking up for.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting up to take the cup from Ian.

  After taking a good sip of hot black coffee, he sighed. “Damn, that’s perfect.”

  Ian settled next to him, casually swinging an arm around Josh’s shoulder. Tilting back his head, he took a long swallow. How was something like that sexy? And yet somehow Josh couldn’t help staring at the strong column of Ian’s neck as his Adam’s apple bobbed.

  Ian slanted a look at him with a half-smile on his face. Leaning forward, he put his cup on the bedside table and then took Josh’s and did the same. Turning, he nuzzled into Josh’s neck, hot breath gusting against his skin.

  Arousal spiked and Josh shuddered. If he let this go on, he’d never be able to leave. He squirmed away from the temptation. “I have to go to work.”

  Ian took his chin, holding him steady for a kiss. “Hmm. Now we both taste like coffee. See? Solves the morning-breath problem.”

  “Well, aren’t you clever?”

  “I’m not just a pretty face, babe.” He ran one fingertip enticingly along Josh’s lips.

  Josh groaned, wanting nothing more than to suck that finger into his mouth, lick it, nip it . . . He pulled away before lust could get the better of him. “I’d love to see where this is going, but I have to go home and change before I go to work, which means I’m already late.”

  “You have appointments this early?”

  “Weekly staff meeting.”

  “Oh joy.”

  Josh ran a hand down Ian’s admirable set of abs. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

  “Not if I call you first.”

  Josh rolled his eyes, and then brushed his fingers over the front of Ian’s boxers before he stood and started hunting for his clothes.

  Ian flung himself back on the bed. “You’re killing me.”

  Chuckling, Josh rooted through the tangle of discarded clothing, separating his jeans from Ian’s and pulling them on before digging out his shirt from the bottom of the pile.

  Something metallic clattered to the floor. Josh bent to pick up a chain holding two flat metal pendants. “Are these your dog tags?”

  “Yes!” Ian jumped off the bed. “I mean . . .” He cleared his throat. “I’ll take them. Thanks.”

  Josh started to hand them to Ian when the engraved NA on one of the medallions caught his eye. He frowned at it for a minute, puzzling it out.

  “Josh.” There was a weird tension in Ian’s voice as he held out his hand. “I said I’ll take them.”

  Josh half turned, putting his shoulder to Ian as he lifted the necklace up to the light streaming in through the windows. He ran a thumb over the cool surface of the medallion, then turned it over to examine the Roman numeral II engraved on the back, surrounded by words he could barely see through the sudden blurriness in his eyes. Words like Serenity, Hope, Recovery . . .

  His heart thudded in slow shock.

  “Josh . . .” Ian cleared his throat. “It’s not . . .”

  “Not what?” Josh studied the second medallion. The one of a saint. “Who is Saint Ephraim?” Remotely, he noticed his own fingers trembling as if they belonged to someone else.

  “It’s not what you think,” Ian insisted. “Or . . . well, maybe it is. But it’s been a long time.”

  Josh turned over the medallion. “Two years.”

  “More like three. And I still go. To meetings, I mean. I promise you don’t have to worry.”

  “Who is Saint Ephraim?” Why that was so important to find out, he didn’t know.

  “A patron saint. My mother gave me the medal.”

  “Patron saint of what?”

  “Listen.” Ian closed the space between them, standing near enough to look into his eyes. “Let me explain—”

  Rage flashed like fire through Josh’s chest. “Patron saint of what?”

  Ian reached for him, tried to cup his face, his dark eyes pleading, but Josh jerked away. Ian dropped his hand and his face went cold. “Drug addicts,” he said. “Alcoholics and drug addicts.”

  The necklace fell from Josh’s nerveless fingers, clattering to the scuffed wooden floor. He turned on his heel, gathered the rest of his clothes, his keys, his wallet, and then walked straight out the door without another word.

  Ian didn’t follow him.

  Josh’s mind remained blank all the way home. When he pulled into his parking space under the condo building, he blinked as he looked around. How the hell did I get here? He cringed, thinking of little old ladies crossing the street and toddlers wandering off the sidewalk.

  No time to dwell on that though. Busy day ahead. Going to work, seeing Langdon and Burke at the staff meeting. Hitting the road to visit a couple of patients later this afternoon. Maybe having lunch at that new Indian place off of Fifth. Busy day. Yes, very busy. Certainly no time to sit here and feel sorry for himself.

  Shower first though. A deep inhale brought a whiff of smoke from the grill clinging to his clothes, and under that—fainter, but still present—the lingering scent of sex and a sweat not his own.

  The smells sent an echo of the night’s joy beating through his chest, quickly drowned in anger and . . . grief. Sorrow for what they might have had. Which was stupid. Insane, to think there was any future with someone he’d met a handful of times.
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  But beyond all the grief and anger, was the sense of betrayal. Because Ian knew how Josh felt about addicts, and he’d had more than one opportunity to give Josh a heads-up about his past.

  So fast. It had all happened so fast. The night had been heaven, the morning hell. “Fuck!” He slammed a hand against the steering wheel.

  No excuse. There had been no excuse for Ian not to tell Josh about his past before they’d slept together.

  Josh was a little more alert when he left his place an hour later after his shower. Alert enough to notice Ian’s motorcycle parked on the street in front of his building. He’d forgotten all about it, and that was fine. Let Ian be inconvenienced for once, like he’d done to Josh yesterday, pulling him into something he had no— Ah, hell. Since when had treating a little girl who might have epilepsy become an inconvenience? He clenched the steering wheel as he drove into the office parking lot. “Fuck. Am I becoming Langdon?”

  The waiting room of Langdon and Burke was as vacant as it had been on Josh’s first day of work. Even Diane’s chair stood empty. Did Langdon and Burke make a point of scheduling patients when Josh was out of the office? Were there ever any patients, or was it just a showroom? Not for the first time, Josh was glad he only had to make an appearance once a week. He didn’t mind not having an office. Writing up notes and making follow-up appointments from his kitchen table was infinitely preferable.

  Speaking of which . . . The Fuenteses. He needed to make that neuro appointment for the girl and then call Gabriel so he could let the family know when and where.

  He found Diane in the conference room, setting up the side table with the usual coffee and muffins. She’d already laid neat file folders at three places on the table.

  He returned her curt nod. Whether she was taking professionalism a little too far, or truly didn’t like him, he didn’t know and didn’t care. He had a whole ten minutes before the meeting started. Amazing, but that was what happened when a person went through the motions of getting ready mechanically and skipped breakfast.

  Sitting at the table, he opened his laptop. After looking up the Fuenteses’ insurance provider, he made a couple of calls—first to their insurance company, and then to the specialist to make an appointment. Not something he usually did, and maybe he hadn’t needed to call the insurance company first, but it wasn’t like he could ask Diane to do it as he would have if the girl had been an official patient of Langdon and Burke.