Take Down

by Jess Anastasi

  His hands were back at the waistband of Danny’s jeans, pushing them down until they were well below his hips, freeing his erection. He skimmed a light touch over the hard, heated length and as Danny moaned softly, Jake wondered if the scent or taste of coconut lingered there as well.

  Danny slid a hand down into his underwear, beginning to stroke him. He shuddered, all the bottled-up frustration from not getting to finish with Danny earlier in the day rushing up through him in an intense surge. If Danny kept that up, this was going to all be over way too soon.

  “Danny, I want to feel you against me.” He caught Danny’s wrist to stop him midmotion. Danny paused, and Jake cursed at himself, worried he’d taken things a step too far. But then Danny slowly—too slowly and too torturously—pushed his pants down until Jake was exposed, just like Danny.

  With a stuttered half breath, Danny pressed his hips forward, their cocks rubbing together. Jake couldn’t help the guttural moan that escaped him. Goddamn, it felt too good. Felt too right. Felt like coming home.

  Danny thrust against him and Jake countered him, finding a natural rhythm, like they already knew each other, like they’d done this a million times before. He clamped a hand on the back of Danny’s neck and pulled him in for a searing kiss. It was all too much, the friction and heat between their bodies making everything else fall away. He was rushing headlong into oblivion and enjoying every second of it.

  Danny’s thrusts were getting shorter and more frenetic, his hands clutching Jake’s hips almost hard enough to bruise. Jake hoped it did mark so he could look at the faint discoloration later and remember this exact moment: the tingling warmth building within him, the play of muscles across Danny’s chest as he shifted, the bated breaths and stifled moans, the absolute inundation of all his senses.

  The end hit him suddenly, taking him by surprise even though he was expecting it. But Danny was right there with him. They came at the same time, Danny moaning his name in a way that kicked his own orgasm to the next level.

  After, they stood there breathing heavily, Danny leaning weakly against him. Jake wrapped his arms around him, resting his chin on Danny’s good shoulder and releasing a contented sigh. Except sounds from the bar started filtering in, reminding him of where they were and the fact they couldn’t linger.

  “One of these days we’re going to do this properly in a bed and not get interrupted,” he murmured, which made Danny laugh softly.

  “I’ll hold you to that.” Danny straightened and once again, he had that sleepy, too-satisfied expression on his face that made absolutely everything inside Jake melt.

  Danny looked down ruefully at where their stomachs and chests were both sticky. “Man, I could use a shower right about now.”

  Jake looked around and spied a stack of paper napkins. Reaching out, he snagged a couple and took his time cleaning Danny down, enjoying it almost as much as everything else they’d gotten up to. There was something intimate and pleasurable about it. He mopped himself up much quicker while Danny got dressed and then retrieved his shirt for him.

  He tossed the napkins in a bin and then let Danny slip his shirt on for him. He started to reach for the buttons, but Danny brushed his hands out of the way and did it for him, taking his time over the task just like he had with cleaning Danny up a few moments ago.

  When they were both decent again, he leaned in and placed a tender kiss on Danny’s mouth.

  “Tomorrow night?” he asked as he pulled back.

  “Are you rescheduling our date for a third time?” Danny sent him an exasperated look.

  “Third time lucky?” He couldn’t help grinning, mostly because he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this happy.

  Danny returned his smile infectiously. “Okay. But if something comes up, I’m going to start worrying the universe is trying to tell us something.”

  “Not a chance.” He kissed Danny again, this time on the jaw. “I get the feeling we’re meant to be.”

  The words came out before he could think about them or catch them.

  Danny froze under his hold, and he cautiously leaned back to look at him, cursing and thinking he’d gone and blown everything that’d happened between them.

  Danny was staring at him with wide eyes, but he looked hopeful. “Do you really think so?”

  He released a quick breath of relief. “I really do.”

  This time it was Danny’s turn to grin. “Then we’re definitely going on that date tomorrow, no matter what happens.”

  He laughed at Danny’s determination.

  “And anyone who gets in your way better watch out?”

  “Damn right,” Danny shot back. He glanced at the door, a sudden shout right outside. “We better get out of here. Do you mind—”

  “Waiting for a few minutes after you leave? I have to say, all this sneaking around is kind of hot.”

  A hint of color bloomed on Danny’s cheeks. “I’m sorry, Jake—”

  “Don’t be. I’m enjoying the hell out of being your dirty little secret right now.” Especially since it seemed Danny had a wicked side he was hoping to see more of. Getting off in the storeroom of a crowded bar? He couldn’t say he’d ever done that before.

  “I’ll text you tomorrow.” Danny kissed him on the cheek and then slipped out the door, leaving him alone.

  Wow. That had been something else. The more he got to know Danny, the more he was absolutely certain he was done for. But in the best way possible.

  Chapter Fourteen

  DANNY’S STEPS were light as he walked into the town square. He’d gotten a text from Jake a little while ago asking him if he wanted to grab a quick lunch at the diner. Jake was working again, even though he hadn’t actually gotten his day off yesterday.

  Probably because of the murder, and also that missing person everyone at the bar was talking about last night. That must have been why the sheriff had come over to see Jake yesterday afternoon, and why he’d then ended up at work.

  Meanwhile, Danny had the entire week off from the garage—doctor’s orders. And his dad was not impressed about it. He’d still done some of the books and handled the invoices, but he’d decided to take advantage of his forced medical leave to see Jake whenever he could. Because actual resting wasn’t an option. Besides the fact that he hated sitting around doing nothing, his dad glaring at him like he was lazy was enough to drive anyone mental.

  And then there was the problem that every time he got more than a few minutes to himself, his mind started spinning to the point he felt like he was going crazy with paranoia. The missing person hadn’t helped matters, leaving him feeling deeply uneasy. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but between the crash, dead body, crossbow, that random guy who’d been lurking on the street the night Jake had walked him home, and now the missing person, he’d started looking over his shoulder every time he left the house, getting the extremely ridiculous feeling he was being watched or someone was following him. It was dumb. Probably some post-traumatic anxiety from the accident and the crossbow. Why would anyone be out to get him?

  So when Jake had texted and asked for a quick lunch, he’d jumped at the chance to leave the house-slash-garage and grasp on to the distraction Jake would provide from his own thoughts. He couldn’t get enough of the guy. And after last night—

  A latent flare of the pleasure he’d found with Jake rippled through him. First, at Jake’s house—he’d had blowjobs before, but that had been something else. Then at the bar. God, he couldn’t believe they’d gone there. That he’d gone there, because it’d definitely been him who’d come up with the idea and lured Jake into the storeroom.

  He’d had just enough beer to strip away his usual inhibitions, but not enough to completely impair his judgment. He didn’t regret a single thing. Not the dancing, even though they’d mostly done it with Gina, and definitely not what had happened after.

  It was like he was starting to wake up. Like he was beginning to remember who he really was, who he’d been living in
Houston. Worrying less about his dad finding out and his probably extreme reaction. He could almost imagine telling his parents and not caring one bit what they thought. Not now, not yet. But if things kept on with Jake, maybe in a few months or a year—

  The possibilities stretching ahead of him left excitement twisting in his stomach. Or maybe that was just the prospect of seeing Jake, as he reached the town square and headed for the diner. There was already a sheriff’s department cruiser parked out the front, so possibly Jake had beaten him here. He hoped he hadn’t been waiting long. Jake had said he didn’t have much time to spare.

  When he stepped inside, he saw Jake across the room, speaking to a couple of people. Gina was standing at the counter waiting to be served, and she waved when she saw him. He went over to her, figuring Jake would catch up with him when he was done.

  “Hey there,” she greeted with a wide smile when he stopped close enough to bump his shoulder into hers. “How’s your head this morning?”

  “Pretty good, actually, I didn’t drink that much.” Possibly his extracurricular activities had something to do with how good he’d felt when he’d woken up this morning. “How about you?”

  “I’ve had worse, but I could have probably done with a few less drinks.”

  If Gina said anything else he didn’t hear it as Jake sauntered over, dark hair perfectly tousled and hazel eyes warming Danny just by looking at him. Maybe he was imagining things, but it seemed like the guy got hotter every time he saw him. That uniform… he couldn’t decide if he enjoyed seeing him in it or out of it more.

  “Hi,” Jake said with an intimate half smile.

  Danny only just managed to stop himself from leaning in and kissing him right there in the middle of the diner. The thing was, he didn’t care what one single person in the diner thought or said. The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge the town gossip would have it back to his parents within the hour and then there’d be hell to pay. Possibly literal hell, according to his dad’s strict Christian beliefs.

  “Hey,” he returned, shoving his hands in his pockets as if that might give him an extra measure of control over himself.

  “Hi, Jake!” Gina said in an extra-bright voice, gaining both of their attention. For a second, he’d forgotten she was even standing there. “What brings the two of you here, anyway?”

  “Jake texted and asked if I wanted to meet him for lunch.” The words were out before he’d thought about them, and he glanced at Gina, trying to keep his expression neutral as he gauged her reaction.

  Her smile took on an almost satisfied edge as she glanced at Jake. “Did he now?”

  For a second, a small swell of panic crested within him that Gina had worked out something was going on between them. But it quickly melted away to be replaced with the urge to spill his guts to her. He wanted someone else to know. He was dying to have someone else to talk to about it.

  “Yes, he did,” he answered pointedly, which left both Gina and Jake staring at him in surprise.

  Before any of them could say anything else, it was their turn at the counter. Jake asked Gina to join them for lunch, and she tried to refuse until Danny insisted as well. Though he would have liked to keep Jake all to himself, they were only meeting briefly in the middle of a busy diner for lunch, so it wasn’t like they could get up to much. Besides, he’d really started appreciating Gina as a friend. She was always fun, and they did have a lot in common.

  The three of them found a table, and he’d barely got his butt on the seat when Gina passed a sly look between him and Jake.

  “So, where did the two of you disappear to last night?”

  Jake had been halfway through taking a mouthful of Coke and promptly choked on it, which left Gina laughing. It was a kind of evil laugh, truth be told. And that was when he really knew.

  “How long have you known?” he asked her, far less freaked-out by this than he would have assumed.

  “About the two of you, or about you playing for my team?” She added a dramatic wink to her words, and this time he was the one laughing.

  “Both.”

  She gave a delicate shrug as she took the pickles out of her burger. “I had my suspicions in high school.”

  “Really?” And here he thought he’d been hiding it so well.

  “Really,” she repeated. “But I definitely wasn’t sure. Not until you met Jake and then—”

  She paused to roll her eyes as she took the ketchup and squeezed extra on the bun.

  “The people in this town are either blind or stupid. Probably both. You guys are adorable. Anyone can see you were made for each other. It’s like there’s electricity in the air—you know, the kind before a storm—whenever you two get near each other.”

  Her words made his heart pound slow and hard, warmth spreading through his body. He liked the way she saw them, but at the same time, he worried what would happen if other people noticed and started gossiping.

  “Are you okay with her knowing?” Jake asked, watching him closely.

  He sighed, because he’d maybe given Jake the wrong impression about him.

  “It’s not like I want to hide me or us, Jake. I’m actually really glad Gina knows. I hated not having anyone to talk to about this stuff. The single thing that’s kept me from being out is what would happen if—”

  “Your dad found out,” Gina said, voice tinged with sympathy.

  He nodded, swallowing against a sudden lump of emotion in his throat.

  Gina reached out and took his hand. “But you know, if or when you decide it’s time, we’ll both be there for you. We won’t let you go through it alone. And whatever happens after, we’ll be with you all the way. Worse comes to worse, you can always crash at my place. You know my mom loves you.”

  He rolled his eyes, despite the fact he was trying to fight down all kinds of emotions.

  “Only because she wants me to marry you and be your baby daddy.”

  “That is true. We would make gorgeous kids, you and I.”

  “Watch it,” Jake warned around a mouthful of fries. “I will fight you for him, and I fight dirty.”

  “I bet you do,” Gina told him archly, before turning her attention back to Danny. “But seriously, I know if I told her about you, she would 100 percent support you.”

  God, what would it be like to have a parent like that? He couldn’t even imagine. Did Gina have any idea how lucky she was?

  “Thanks, Gina.”

  Jake pushed his plate away, having wolfed down his food in record time while Danny and Gina had been talking. “Sorry, guys, but I have to run.”

  “Yeah, I’ll have to be back at the salon in a few minutes,” Gina said with a huff. “I hate working Saturdays.”

  Jake caught his eye. “See you at seven?”

  “Count on it.” He stared at Jake, wishing more than anything that he could kiss him goodbye like couples usually did.

  “Something wrong?” Jake asked as he stood.

  “I just really wish I could kiss you goodbye right now.”

  Jake arched an eyebrow at him. “Are you pouting again?”

  “No.” Unfortunately the word came out sounding exactly like he was.

  “You totally are,” Gina supplied helpfully.

  Jake set a hand on Gina’s shoulder and leaned down toward her. “Gina can pass it on.”

  Jake was clearly aiming for Gina’s cheek, but at the last second, she grasped his chin and kissed him quickly but thoroughly on the mouth.

  Jake straightened with a disbelieving look.

  She shrugged unrepentantly. “You can’t blame me for taking advantage of the situation.”

  Jake pointed an admonishing finger at her. “Do not kiss Danny on the mouth or I will come for you.”

  She laughed airily and waved him away. Jake sent him an exasperated look, before murmuring a goodbye and heading across the diner.

  Gina set her elbow on the table and then put her chin in her palm. “So, when do you want me to give you Jake
’s kiss?”

  He threw his napkin in her face. “You’re a devious harpy.”

  “Would you love me any other way?”

  He laughed softly because they both knew the truth. “I suppose I wouldn’t, no.”

  Her expression became serious as she stared at him. “You know, it really suits you.”

  “What, being gay?” He’d missed this since he’d finished up at JR’s and left Houston—being able to joke around and completely be himself.

  “No, I mean being happy. And you definitely deserve it. You deserve an amazing guy like Jake in your life.”

  “He is pretty amazing,” he said with a sigh that he knew sounded completely schmaltzy.

  “Oh God, I just ate. Cut that out.” She shoved him in the shoulder—his noninjured shoulder luckily.

  “You started it.”

  “Fine, I did. But I could put up with you a lot easier if I had my own man to get obsessed over. The three of us should go out in Houston. You and Jake can be my wingmen and find me hot guys to hook up with.”

  He frowned at her playfully. “I’m beginning to think you’re invested in my relationship for your own gain.”

  “Of course!” She threw her hands up as if it should have been obvious. “Two gay BFFs? Imagine all the possibilities.”

  “I shudder to think,” he muttered as she checked the time on her phone.

  “Oh shoot, I have to go.” She jumped to her feet and gathered her bag. “Text me tomorrow. I want all the juicy details about whatever happens on your date tonight.”

  “If you’re lucky, I might tell you some of the non-X-rated parts.”

  She braced a hand on the table and leaned over with a mock frown. “But those are the best parts!”

  He couldn’t help a grin. “I know.”

  Instead of replying, she leaned in and planted a kiss on his mouth, just like she’d done to Jake. “You two keep this secret as long as you want. Being your beard is totally fun.”

  “You’re not worried people are going to start thinking you’re sleeping with both of us?”

  “The two hottest guys in town? They’ll be jealous!” She straightened and flicked her hair over her shoulder. “I don’t care what they think. Now, have fun tonight. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”