Be a Bad Boy

BE A BAD BOY by Lee Brazil CHAPTER 1 Furious, Devyn Strake stalked up the overgrown path to Kayla’s apartment. It was his weekend to have Kail. Devyn was stuck with this stupid visitation agreement: Wednesday nights, every other weekend and alternate holidays. He should have had full custody, but instead the judge had decreed that a boy of eight months needed his mother more than his father. Bullshit. Kail needed him as much as he needed Kail. 2C. He hadn’t been here before, but surely, Kayla could afford better on the amount of child and spousal support he’d been required to pay? He knocked politely on the door, a sharp rap. A noise from inside drifted through an open screen window. It only took a moment to recognize the sound as the pathetic cries of a baby. He pounded his fists on the grubby door, calling out, “Kayla! It’s Devyn. I came to get Kail for the weekend.” There was no response, no sound from within but the continued cries. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Kayla had claimed he’d threatened her, asked the judge for a restraining order. The judge had eyed him up and down, noting every piercing and tattoo, and the order had been granted. His expensive lawyer and his Dad by his side in his Armani suit had counted for nothing. He looked like a thug, therefore he was a thug. Then again, Kayla was supposed to bring Kail to him for his visits at a prearranged public place. He’d waited at the McDonald’s for over an hour past the time they were to be there. When he couldn’t reach Kayla on her cell phone, he’d given in to the anger and headed over here. She could have all the money he could get his hands on, but Kayla wasn’t keeping him from his son any more. He could hear Kail’s frantic cries from inside the apartment, but other than that, there was no sign of anyone being home. It was his weekend to have Kail,

and Kayla was fucking nuts if she thought she was going to get away with not bringing him to the meeting place again. Restraining order be thrice damned. Pain ripped through him as his son’s cries grew louder on the other side of that door. He looked around frantically. Either Kayla had gotten a lot more tolerant than she used to be or she wasn’t in there. If she was passed out then he had to get to Kail. The manager’s office had an out to lunch sign on the door. No help from that quarter. No one else seemed to care about the noise he made or the noise his son made. Devyn bent forward to peer in the window, hoping to catch sight of Kayla or Kail through the window. He couldn’t see Kayla, but he saw Kail right away. The little boy stood clutching grimly at the bars of the playpen, screaming and crying, face red with exertion. Tears had etched shiny tracks down his face, and he was nude except for a bulky looking diaper. Desperate to get to Kail, he pulled the Swiss army knife his Dad had given him for his fourteenth birthday from his pocket. The window to the left of the door was raised just a bit. Kneeling down, he used the sharp blade to cut the screen away from the frame. Peeling the screen back, he raised the window, talking as soothingly as he could to Kail as he did. “Daddy’s coming, big boy. No need to cry. Daddy’s here.” When Kail turned to the window and caught sight of his daddy climbing through, his shrieks subsided to sobs. The tear-drenched dark eyes ripped another hole in Devyn’s heart. Fuck. He landed on the floor under the window knocking a withered plant over on the way down. Without Kail’s cries, the apartment was eerily silent. Kayla wasn’t here. Devyn rose shakily and hurried to the playpen. Kail reached out to grab him, striving to climb out on his own. “Shh… I got you.” He pulled the squirming little body close, grimacing as hot liquid seeped through the soggy diaper and through his own t-shirt. He wrinkled his nose at the scent of piss. Poor tyke hadn’t been changed in a while.

He searched the dingy room for diapers and wipes, relieved to find them and a diaper bag on the floor by the battered sofa. On the way over to the sofa, the sticky tapes on the side of the current diaper caved to pressure and it fell off to land with a sickening plop on the floor. He left it there. Bitch could clean it up when she got back. He set Kail down on the sofa, and held him in place with one hand while he knelt next to the sofa. He patted blindly with one hand, reaching for the wipes and a diaper. A sudden sharp prick of pain in his finger and he glanced down in disbelief. No freaking way. The thin glint of metal caught his eye. Way. A needle. His gaze zoomed to the grungy coffee table and took in the other paraphernalia there. Shit. Fuck it. He whipped his t-shirt off over his head and wrapped it around his son. Fuck this shit. Grabbing the diaper bag, he hoisted Kail into his arms and headed for the door. He clutched his little man to him with one arm, heart aching at the baby’s desperate grip on his neck, and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. A few quick zoomed in shots of the drug stuff, a few wide-angle shots of the whole room, and he was on his way. If Kayla walked through it while he was on his way out, he’d mow the bitch down. Bad enough to leave the little man alone in the apartment for God knows how long, but to be using again? He slammed the door on his way out, not caring who saw him as he cuddled his son in his arms and headed to his car. He fumbled his cell phone out of his pocket and hit speed dial. “Dad? I’m coming over. Bringing Kail. We need to talk. Call the lawyer.” CHAPTER 2 Gurgles of happy baby laughter followed by startled shrieks and the mellow hum of a more mature voice lured Sully from sleep. He smiled. The kids were up. It only took a moment longer for him to realize that it wasn’t his nieces and

nephews making the happy noises. He’d moved from his apartment over his sister’s garage a month ago when he’d finally paid off his student loans. Living in the apartment complex allowed him more privacy from his nosy though wellintentioned sister and her husband, his partner on the force, but he missed the noises of family life, the interactions with the kids. It was the baby’s giggles that attracted his attention first. The sound was pure joy. The husky chuckles that followed the giggles caused him to tilt his hat brim back and search out the source of the sound. It didn’t take long. The residents of this complex seldom used the pool, and he usually had it to himself in the early hours. After his swim this morning, Sully had dropped onto a lounger to let the sun dry him off. He must have fallen asleep, and this was his reward for not working today. Absently, he raised his sunglasses to his lips and nibbled the earpiece of the expensive Oakley’s. At the shallow end of the pool a young man sat on the bottom step, his lower half submerged in the sparkling water. On his lap, he held a baby, less than a year old from the looks of it. The baby had creamy white skin and hair a rather strange shade of dark brown, like a bad dye job. The giggling baby slapped the water with a little starfish hand, then shrieked when water droplets splashed on him. While the sweet baby with his gurgling laughter was an invitation to joy, the father, a pale skinned, wiry man was an invitation to sin. His dark hair badly needed cutting, and he appeared not to have shaved for days. Good lord, those tattoos! Sully wanted to lick the moist drops of pool water from every inch of inked skin as it swirled across compact muscles in direct contrast to the creamy flesh. He knew who they were. Kind of. Last week they’d arrived as dusk was falling, accompanied by an older man driving a U-Haul truck. The younger man had carried the baby in one of those kangaroo things while they unloaded a few meager possessions from the truck. According to the white card that had suddenly appeared on the mailboxes, this was D. Strake, his new downstairs neighbor.

“Hey,” he called; glad his voice came out reasonably normal. The younger man stiffened, his arms tightening around the baby, who squawked a protest. A rapid and in no way subtle scan of the area seemed to reassure Strake, and he loosened his hold on the baby, meeting Sully’s eyes. Sully drew in a sharp breath. Beautiful eyes, tormented eyes. The dark depths were full of fear, wary. “It’s okay. I’m Sully Moore. Sullivan, actually, but only my Grannie Moore calls me that. I’m your upstairs neighbor.” He jerked his chin in the general direction of his apartment, unable to take his eyes from the man and child in the pool. “Devyn Strake. This is my son Kail.” The tattooed man rose slowly from the water, keeping a tight grip on the baby. Sully exhaled slowly as he took in the body revealed to his intent gaze. He followed drops of water winding over taut muscles and lean expanses of flesh. Devyn wore beige and white hibiscus print board shorts, but the damp fabric clung to his semi erect cock lovingly. Devyn seemed not to realize where Sully’s gaze had landed, thankfully, and he dragged his gaze back to Devyn’s face. His cheeks had flushed beneath the scruffy beard, so maybe he had noticed after all. The baby tugged and pulled at his father’s earlobe, and Sully noted the gauge there. Interesting. He quickly catalogued the other piercings, lower lip, eyebrow, nipple. Maybe more. He’d found a bad boy here on his own doorstep. Devyn was murmuring to the baby, backing across the burning cement to the pool gate. There seemed to be something almost furtive in his movements. Curious. “Watch that gate,” Sully warned. “The spring doesn’t catch all the time.” Devyn turned his back to Sully to struggle with the faulty catch. Sully paused to admire the view before he rose and slid his sunglasses back on. He padded carefully across the burning cement and reached down over the younger man’s shoulder. Standing carelessly close, he let his erection brush against the damp

fabric of Devyn’s board shorts. The cool dampness felt good on his overheated flesh. Not subtle, but Devyn didn’t react anyway. A deft twist and he released the gate, pushing it open and urging the other two residents ahead of him. He was crowding Devyn, he knew it. If he were any closer, he’d feel the man’s pulse beating. But the other man intrigued him and aroused him in ways no streetwise kid ever had before. Then again, he considered, as Devyn scurried in front of him, he didn’t actually seem like a street kid when you looked beyond the tats and piercings. His grammar was excellent and unaccented, his posture easy and confident. No, definitely not a street kid. But someone who was hiding something, yeah. That he could see. CHAPTER 3 Devyn held Kail close, whispering soothing words as he paced back and forth in front of the sliding glass door of his patio. He’d opened it to catch as much of the evening breeze as he could since the air conditioning unit had given out this afternoon. He’d have to close it though if Kail didn’t settle into sleep soon. Kail’s cheeks were flushed, and his eyes glittered with fever. He’d been miserable for hours, screaming and crying in turns. Devyn’s own head pounded furiously and the muscles of his back and arms ached from their cramped position around Kail’s slight weight. He didn’t know what to do, had tried everything he could think of, but his little man wouldn’t be soothed into sleep, and he wouldn’t be put down. Devyn paced the short distance from the open door to the stereo and restarted the Beatles CD. When Kail had been younger and colicky this CD had soothed him. Devyn had spent exhausting hours walking the boy to sleep to the tune of Sergeant Pepper. The music helped tonight as well, but not enough. He scooped up his cell phone from the narrow counter top dividing the main room and the tiny kitchen. Hit his dad’s speed dial. Still no answer. He was in the middle of leaving another frantic message begging his dad to call back when there was a knock at the door. He froze. The knocking escalated to pounding. His head pounded in rhythm….

Finally, he gave in and inched closer to the door. Peered through the viewer. Swallowed hard. It was the guy from the pool. Tall, tan, sexy brown eyes and full pouting lips. It had been all he could do not to grind back against the full arousal the man had brushed against him as he bent to undo the stuck pool gate. Hand shaking, he unlocked the door but left the chain on. “Yes?” The man ran a hand through his hair. “Hey. I don’t want to be the Gladys Kravitz of the neighborhood, but… do you need some help with the baby?’ Flushing, Devyn shook his head rapidly, ignoring the pain the movement caused. He tried to push the door closed, but the man blocked it with a capable hand. “We’re fine. He’s just not feeling well.” “I’m upstairs from you, and he’s been crying for hours. It’s keeping me awake. Let me help.” The man nibbled the tip of one finger as he spoke in a calm controlled voice. “I’m sorry. I’ll close the doors and windows. It’s just the air is out, and it gets hot in here.” How embarrassing. “No. Don’t do that. It’s hot as Hades. The air conditioning unit is out for the whole building. I talked to the manager. I wouldn’t have heard you but I have my windows open too. The heat will make things worse.” Kail’s head turned and he hiccupped sadly, staring at the owner of the soothing voice. Relief poured through Devyn at the blessed quiet. Impulsively he unlatched the chain and pulled the door open, waving Sully in. They were neighbors after all, and Kail seemed to like him. Sullivan pulled his finger from his mouth, and Devyn jerked his gaze from the damp tip to meet the man’s eyes again. “Come on in. You have kids?” “Nieces and nephews.” He shook his head, bending slightly to peer into Kail’s eyes. “Hey there baby. Not feeling too good, are you?”

“He’s a little feverish, and ibuprofen isn’t helping. I’ve been walking him, and bathing him, and he won’t eat.” He closed his eyes and breathed deeply as the frustration swelled again. The scent of chlorine and sun and man filled his nostrils. “And you’re not too well yourself, are you?” Sympathy drenched the sexy voice, and tears welled in Devyn’s eyes. He wouldn’t cry. Just because he was tired, frustrated and stressed over the lack of response from his lawyer, he couldn’t let a little sympathy send him over the edge. “I have a migraine.” He admitted, rubbing at his left temple futilely. “Want to come to me, baby?” Devyn blinked. The migraine, he was so blaming the migraine for the way his heart jumped at that statement. Kail, it seemed, wanted to go to Sully. Sully took him deftly, and Devyn stretched his arms over his head with a sigh of relief. “Go on, man.” Sully waved him away. “Go take a shower, take some meds for the headache. I’ll wait right here with the little guy, and we’ll get to know each other. Shower. Magic fucking word. He craved that shower. “I’ll be right back.” A last glance at the whimpering Kail and he headed quickly for the shower. He turned the water on to heat while he rummaged in the medicine cabinet for the prescription pills his doctor had ordered. The little buggers hid at the back of the motley contents. Swishing mouthwash and spitting in the sink, he swallowed two tablets quickly then brushed his teeth and hopped in the shower. The hot spray soothed his tired muscles and he soaped himself quickly before rinsing and leaping out. He paused near the open bathroom door, Kail was crying again, and Sully murmured unintelligibly to him. Hastily he pulled on a pair of board shorts, sans boxers. More relaxed, a pang of guilt sent him scurrying into the outer room. He’d left his son with a stranger. Granted, they’d met, twice, sort of. But still.

CHAPTER 4 Devyn must have the patience of a saint. Sully had held the crying baby for less than twenty minutes, and already he was anxious and ready to drive to the emergency room or call in reinforcements. A slight noise alerted him to Devyn’s’ arrival, and he glanced over, drawing in a sharp breath as he took in the vision that crossed the room toward him. Devyn’s pale inked skin glittered with water droplets from the hair he hadn’t dried, his bare chest boasted a tempting smattering of hairs that arrowed down to disappear beneath the waistband of his red board shorts. A pulse beat visibly in the tender hollow of his throat and an edge of fear glinted in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left him with you.” He sounded so young, so troubled as he reached to take Kail from Sully. Sully’s grip tightened briefly then relaxed. He reluctantly allowed the worried young father to take the baby. “What have you tried so far?” He cringed at the sharp exasperation in the younger man’s eyes. “Everything I could think of. I even have half a dozen calls in to my father, but he hasn’t responded.” Fatigue and defeat returned. “I should take him to the emergency room.” Thoughtfully, Sully considered the situation. The young man didn’t seem to be employed, the apartment was sparsely furnished, and it seemed that money might be hindering his search for medical assistance. Sully reached for the phone on the counter. “May I?” He’d left his own phone upstairs when the noise awakened him, but he knew the perfect person to consult. With six kids of her own, Tallia would be more than happy to help. Devyn nodded, then wandered away, shoulders slumped. He paused at the open glass door, whispering to the baby. Tallia picked up on the second ring. “Tallia? Sully. Listen, I’m-"

“Oh my god! Is that a baby crying in the background? Where are you Sully? What’s happened?” Yep. Tally could be counted on to help out, all right. He just had to prevent her from ditching her own kids with Dude and heading right over here to help in the flesh. “I’m at my neighbors. Listen, Tally… the baby’s not well and,” he lowered his voice, cupping his hand over the receiver, “I don’t think he can afford to take the baby to the clinic. I hoped you’d know some homeopathic remedies that we haven’t tried.” “Oh, of course you don’t need to go to a clinic. What’s wrong with the little guy? Give me the symptoms, honey.” “Symptoms, well... he’s feverish.” Sully tried to recall what else Devyn had said. “He’s unhappy. This morning he was laughing and playing. But he’s been crying for the last few hours non-stop. Devyn said he didn’t eat.” “Devyn, hmm? Sounds familiar. Anyway, Sully, is the baby tugging on his ear?” Sully peered across the room where Devyn stood with Kail, restarting the CD player. He’d be dreaming Sergeant Pepper if he ever got to sleep tonight. Yep, sure enough, the baby was tugging on his left ear. “Yes, he is. What does that mean?” “It means he has an ear infection. Not good, but not the worst thing that could happen either. You got garlic there? Or at your place?” “Hang on.” Holding the phone by his side, he called out to Devyn. “You got garlic here?” Devyn cast him a quizzical glance as he paced back to the door again. “Yeah, I have garlic in the basket over there. Why?” “Not sure, but I’m going to find out. Yeah, sis. We have garlic.”

“Okay, then Sully, here’s what you and your friend do. You take a clove of that garlic and crush it into a teaspoon of vegetable or olive oil. Warm it up on the stove. Don’t get it too hot. You don’t want to burn the inner ear. Moisten a qtip with that oil when it's warm and rub the oil inside the baby’s ear. It’ll work. Trust me.” “Sounds easy enough, sis. Hey, I’ll call you back if it doesn’t work.” Half threat, half begging for support. “It’ll work. And, hey yourself. Bring your friend and the baby to dinner some night, okay?” “Not that kind of friend, Tally. Thanks anyway.” “Maybe not yet. But I know you, brother. I can tell by your voice this one is different. Bring him.” The call disconnected on that order. Devyn was watching him, eyes brimming with hope. “Okay. Simple. Q-tips, olive oil, and garlic. I got this, if you want to get the Qtips?” CHAPTER 5 Devyn came slowly awake, refreshed and surprised that no cries had awakened him during the night. He stretched his arms above his head and turned to check the crib on the other side of the room. His eye fell on his sleeping son next to him on the big bed, and he cringed. What if Kail had rolled over and fallen off the bed during the night? Seconds later the memory of Sully returned, and he raised his gaze slightly from the sleeping baby to land on his rescuer of the night before. Sully’s sister’s remedy had worked, but not before his migraine meds had kicked in. Sully had tucked both him and Kail into bed, and apparently all three had drifted into exhausted, but blessedly pain free slumber together.

Sully asleep was gorgeous. His head rested on one arm as he lay on his side facing Kail. The firm tempting lips that had haunted him after their meeting at the pool were parted in silent invitation. The body he’d been unable to keep his eyes from while the man slept at the poolside lay relaxed and supple, curled slightly inward. One large, strong hand rested on Kail’s tummy protectively. Safe. He’d felt a strange safety in Sully’s presence. The man exuded confidence and capability. Turning to him for help with Kail, a shoulder to lean on, had felt very right. Giving in to temptation, Devyn braced his arm on the bed and leaned forward to caress those lips with his own. He knew after the incident at the pool gate yesterday, that Sully was interested in him. Yesterday he hadn’t been sure he could trust anyone. Today, after the night they’d spent, the tender care Sully had lavished on his son, Devyn knew he wanted to at least try. It had been a long time since he’d had the luxury of touching, of liking, another man. Married at nineteen, a father at twenty-two, he’d had to stifle this side of himself. Warm, firm lips, sweet hot breath, he shivered as Sully murmured sleepily. He pressed gently, half-hoping, half-fearing Sully would wake. He should have known better. Kail gave an indignant coo, and flailed his hands in protest at being trapped between the two men. The little hand with its sharp nails caught him square in the eye before finding Sully’s nose and grabbing it tightly. Sully came awake with a start of surprise. He carefully peeled the baby from his nose and licked his lips, never breaking eye contact with Devyn, who felt the heat of a blush spread across his cheekbones. “Devyn.” His voice was husky with sleep, a sultry caress. “You kissed me?” Shit. Could he pass it off as a dream? Even as the thought slid through his brain, he was nodding. The blur of movement from the corner of his eye caught him by surprise, and he flinched before he had time to brace himself for the blow that never came. Instead, a caressing palm cupped his cheek, a rough thumb rubbed over his bottom lip.

“You want to try that again while I’m awake to enjoy it?” Though Sully made no comment about his foolish shrinking, his shrewd eyes indicated he’d noted it, and filed it away for future reference. Emboldened by the teasing, Devyn scooped Kail up and headed for the changing station. “Maybe. Want coffee?” “Coffee, God, yes, I want coffee.” Devyn watched, fascinated, as Sully absently picked up the key that hung from a chain around his neck and nibbled it. Plump red lips closing on the shiny metal key, and his groin pulsed in sympathy for the metal. He licked his own lips, dragged his attention back to diapering Kail, and offered in a husky voice. “In the kitchen. Do you mind making it?” He ignored the rustle of sheets, forcing his gaze to stay on the wipes and the diaper in hand, but oh, how badly he wanted to peer around and see that long sleek body climbing out of his bed. He started in surprise as a hard hand brushed his hair aside and a moist hot kiss landed on the nape of his neck. He shivered as muffled footsteps wandered to the door. “No problem. I can make the coffee. You want breakfast too?” Only if breakfast is you. Please God let me not have said that out loud. He had a sinking feeling it had been when Sully’s chuckles drifted back from the open plan living area. CHAPTER 6 Sully discretely adjusted himself as he padded barefoot out to the living area. In the kitchen, he checked the fridge and freezer but couldn’t find any coffee beans. Frowning, he started opening cabinets, staring in horror at a can of preground, store brand coffee.Is there enough time to run up to my place for real coffee? More to the point, once outside that door, will Devyn let you back in?

Reluctantly he grabbed the can from the shelf and set it on the cabinet next to the coffee pot. Okay, he was a coffee snob. A case of bottled water sat on the floor next to the fridge, and he pulled three of them from the plastic wrap. He filled the water reservoir on the pot and started searching the cabinets for spices. Cinnamon, salt and pepper seemed the limit of Devyn’s spice collection.We are so sleeping at my place next time. A dash of cinnamon and a quarter cup of sugar in the basket with the inferior coffee grounds and his eye fell on a bowl of citrus fruit. Shrugging, he grabbed an orange and started searching for a zester. Too much to hope for from a man who only had three spices. Laughing, he bit into the bitter peel and pulled a few small pieces from the orange. He dropped those into the grounds as well and set the pot to go. Absently his hand went to the key on a chain around his neck, and he drew it to his mouth, the faintly metallic taste of the key burst across his tongue, and he stared out the sliding glass doors to the patio as he waited for his hosts to make their appearance. Devyn strolled into the room with Kail in his arms, the little boy peering curiously around. When his dark eyes found Sully, he crowed and clapped his little hands together, reaching out to be held. Sully smiled in return, dropping the key. “And a good morning to you, too, baby Kail.” He stepped out from behind the counter and accepted the baby’s embrace, brushing off Devyn’s polite ‘you don’t have to’. “I told you. I’m used to kids. I’ve missed this, actually.” He confided, settling on one of the barstools with the baby in his arms. “I used to live over my sister’s garage. She has six kids. Last month I moved out, and the quiet has been slowly driving me insane when I’m not at work.” Devyn’s smile of acceptance sent his pulse beating harder, and the erection that had begun to subside was back with a vengeance. The other man was puttering around in the kitchen, doing something with little jars and heating a

bowl in the microwave. “I’ll feed him if you want to shower, or make breakfast.” He added hastily as the image of Devyn from last night, wet and relaxed from the hot shower came back to haunt him. “I’m good, shower=wise. We’ll go down to the pool in a bit, and then I’ll shower after that. Fruit and cereal good for breakfast for you?” Devyn’s happy smile and acceptance of his presence made something in Sully’s chest melt. He gazed at Kail, spooning bites into the little mouth like a mother bird, swallowing hard to get the sudden tension to leave his throat. What the fuck? This should be a feel good moment. This connection shouldn’t be so gut wrenching. “Yeah. Is that coffee done?” He winced himself at the harshness of his voice, and Kail frowned at him while Devyn just stared. “Shit, I’m sorry Devyn. I’m just... I need coffee. I have oral issues. If there’s nothing in my mouth crap just spills out of it.” Devyn burst into laughter as he set a mug of coffee with a dancing Snoopy on it on the counter nearby but far enough away that Kail couldn’t get to it. “Okay. Let me take him and dress him, and you can take your foot out of your mouth and fill it with coffee.” “I’d rather fill it with you, but I see that’s not on the menu, so coffee will do.” Willing himself not to blush was probably foolish, but he raised his coffee to his lips and kept his gaze locked on Devyn’s startled one as he gulped the hot nectar. Well, it was a stretch to call this swill nectar, but it was laden with caffeine, and it would do. A few sips later, he felt he’d got his mouth, and his libido, under control enough to put down the mug. “So, Tally invited us over today. You want to go meet the gal who saved our night’s sleep? She and Dude are good people, have six kids, the youngest just a little older than Kail, here. They have a pool too, so we won’t have to miss our swim.”

He could see the hesitation on Devyn’s face, and forged ahead. “It’ll be fun. Dude makes a mean barbeque and Tally is the original homeopathic mom. She has remedies for everything that will everything that befalls Kail. You can pick her brains while you sunbathe. And thank her in person for the earache cure.” Steamrolling on ahead, he swooped over and scooped up Kail. “Come on. I’ll get the baby dressed and ready to go while you change then we’ll head up to my apartment and I’ll change. Oh, and hey, let’s stop at Starbucks and get some real coffee, okay?” CHAPTER 7 I’m driving him to his sister’s house, where we’re going to have a barbeque and play with the kids. How the hell did this happen?He checked on Kail in his car seat in the back seat, and then flicked a quick glance at the hunk of tanned man sprawled in the passenger seat next to him. Sully had switched his pajama pants for a pair of hibiscus print board shorts in teal and blue and a simple white tank top. He’d allowed the flip flops to drop from his feet as soon as he’d gotten into the car, and somehow, unfairly, even his feet were sexy and turned Devyn on. Was he really so starved for masculine company that he fell for the first man to smile at him? No. He wasn’t that kind of guy. Sully was special, a man to be counted on. Maybe, eventually, a man to be trusted. The timing sucked, but he couldn’t regret the advent of Sully into his life. If only his Dad would call back with news from the lawyers about his urgent plea for an emergency custody hearing! It turned out that Tally and Dude lived in one of the coastal towns, but not on the beach itself. It was a quiet little family neighborhood and a pretty big house and lot by California standards. The palm of Sully’s hand in the small of his back reassured him and it didn’t occur to him until the door swung open how the posture would appear to Sully’s sister, who greeted him with a beaming smile and an exuberant hug.

He tried to hang back, but Sully drew him forward, introducing Devyn and Kail to a herd of children and a tall blond man with knowing blue eyes. The food was good, the conversation was fun, and Kail clearly loved the attention and was fascinated by the Rawlings’ baby girl. Devyn relaxed over the course of the afternoon. He sat on a lounger watching Kail playing with little Amber in an inflated kiddie pool when Sully strolled over and perched on the edge of the chair next to him. He flicked a glance out the corner of his eye, and gulped iced tea from his glass when he saw that Sully had that damn key in his mouth again. Damn. Has he got any idea how sexy that is? Sully played with the key for a moment or two, eyeing Devyn. “So.” “What?” He bolted upright nervously. His heart pounded in earnest now, but from fear not arousal. Had Sully discovered his secret? “I’m not sure about how you’re going to feel about this, so I’m going to come right out and say it.” Sully dropped the key and pulled his sunglasses down from his hair. He tapped his lower lip with the earpiece, and Devyn licked his own lips, remembering Sully sucking the earpiece by the pool the day before. What had he said? He had oral issues? Damn. “You’re going to come right out and say something, go ahead.” He couldn’t help the belligerence that echoed in his voice, and the responsive spark of interest in Sully’s eyes intrigued him. Arousal, fear, anger, pleasure that such an attractive, clean cut man found him, with his piercings and tats attractive, the emotions swirled through him. Sully shoved the glasses on, concealing the flames in his dark eyes, effectively hiding how he felt. Devyn regretted that. At least when he looked into Sully’s eyes he knew he wasn’t the only one bewildered by this connection between them. “Tallia and Dude, they’re offering to watch Kail while we go out for a bit, get a

drink, maybe walk on the beach.” Yes! His body leapt at the idea, but his mind said he couldn’t leave Kail with people he’d just met. “I shouldn’t leave Kail.” His protest was weak and he knew it. Tallia and Dude were clearly loving, responsible parents, and Kail was due to nap in a bit anyway. He latched onto that as an option. “Maybe, if Kail naps?” “No pressure.” The key was back in Sully’s mouth again, and Devyn squirmed in the lounger, such a small leap to imagine something else in place of that key. “They’re offering. Doesn’t mean we have to accept. We can just stay here and enjoy the patio.” Realizing how much he wanted to go, to be alone with Sully, Devyn agreed before he could second-guess himself. “Okay. But just for an hour. I’ll leave my cell phone number. We won’t go far?” Sully rose to his feet in a smooth movement from the shallow lounger. Devyn fumbled a bit getting out of his. “Dude! We’re going for a walk. You’re on deck to watch the pool.” The tall blond haired man obligingly ambled over from his wife’s side to take the lounger Sully had vacated. “Okay. Y’all be careful out there.” “My cell number….” Devyn began. “He’ll call on my phone, all right?” The first sign of impatience he’d seen from Sully was in that statement. Devyn wondered if he was making a serious mistake. Sully might be putting on a great laid-back act in front of his family. Closer acquaintance might show the same unpleasant character traits that Kayla had displayed. Unreasonable jealousy, possessiveness, selfishness; he really wasn’t up to dealing with that again. He shook his head. “You know? On second thought—”

Sully’s hand closed on his own and dragged him away before he could utter the words that would change their plans. Out of sight of the others, just around the corner of the house was a paved walkway between the garage and the main house. Sully guided him onto that walkway and slammed him up against the side of the stucco building, covering his mouth urgently. Devyn’s mouth opened on a gasp of surprise, and Sully took the opportunity to explore. Slightly dizzy with desire, Devyn rubbed his tongue eagerly along Sully’s, sucking at it hungrily. It had been just this morning that he’d kissed this man for the first time, but this made the kiss he’d bestowed on the sleeping Sully seem chaste. This kiss claimed, it aroused, it demanded response that Devyn found himself all too willing to give. Panting, Sully drew back, lips gleaming with moisture that he licked with that agile tongue. Devyn reached out to draw him back, but Sully shook his head. “I’ve wanted to do that all day, since you woke me so sweetly with a kiss this morning. But we can’t continue this here.” Intent dark eyes stared into his and Devyn shivered. Slowly he became aware that he was grinding his erection against Sully’s taut thigh, and shuddering, tried to still the movements of his hips. Strong warm hands closed on him, and he swore he could feel the possessive burn of each finger on his ass through the fabric of his board shorts. He opened his mouth, tried to speak, but could only whimper in protest. He wanted. Very badly. Sully pressed a thumb to Devyn’s lower lip, and Devyn sank his teeth into it. Fucking tease. Sully was right. They couldn’t do this here, six kids and Ma and Pa Cleaver were just around the corner. He watched Sully’s eyes melt and darken, heard his breath catch. “I still have the key.” Sully gestured toward the garage meaningfully. Devyn couldn’t make sense of it though. That one kiss had sent all his blood rushing south, and his brain was functioning without. “Uh.” He managed.

Sully pulled the key on its chain from around his neck. “This key unlocks the apartment over the garage. It’s not rented out. If you want to, that is.” CHAPTER 8 Sully held his breath, his hand clenching around the key as he waited for Devyn’s answer. He was being pushy, he knew it, but he’d never felt this instant response to anyone before. Physical, sure, but he genuinely liked Devyn, and he more than liked Kail. Devyn’s brown eyes sparkled and he drew in a deep breath, pushing away from the wall. He nudged Sully gently out of his way and stepped forward. “Up there? There’s a bed?” Relief surged through him. “Yes. A nice soft mattress on a full size bed. It’s soundproofed, and you can see the back yard from a window around back. Is that a yes?” Pushing again, back off. Soundproof? Really? You had to mention that? Like you’re guaranteed to make him scream? Shit. He turned his hand over palm up, and waited a bit longer while Devyn hesitated about putting his hand into it. At last, they were moving up the walkway to the outside stairs of the studio apartment. As they crossed the threshold, Sully peeked back over his shoulder to see Dude’s eyes on him. He gave a little nod, and urged Devyn forward with his palm in the small of his back. Devyn froze a few feet inside the door and surveyed the small living space. His voice, when it came, was hesitant. “I should probably tell you I’ve never done this before.” “Oh, baby, we don’t have to. We can sit over on the sofa and have a drink and talk, if that’s what you want.” His own voice shook with the effort of staying calm and reassuring, but the knowledge that this would be Devyn’s first time, that the younger man came to him a virgin, sent flames of arousal licking through his system.

“No. I want to. It’s just—I was married for so long, and it wouldn’t have been right. So, I’ve never been with a man. I thought that was the kind of thing you should know.” Devyn ducked his head in embarrassment, and Sully’s mouth watered. He herded Devyn over to the window, and pointed out into the yard of the main house. “There’s Dude with your little man. He’s keeping a close eye on him for us.” Devyn peered through the window anxiously, and Sully wondered why he seemed so guarded about the kid. Something to ask about later. Meanwhile, father reassured about his son’s well being, it was time for distraction. Sully edged between Devyn and the window, using his larger frame to nudge Devyn back out of view. He curled a hand around the nape of Devyn’s neck, and tilted his head slightly to the side. Devyn was temptation personified. He wanted to explore every inch of tattooed flesh, to suck every piercing. “Made for me. You were made for me.” He marveled at how well they fit together before covering those plump tempting lips with his own. He lost himself in the pulse of blood, the throb of sex, as he licked and sucked and nibbled those plump curves. The gentle scratch of Devyn’s beard, the silky texture of his long hair, he was drowning in sensation. Devyn pulled his mouth away, panting heavily and pressed his head into Sully’s neck. Sully arched his neck to grant better access as Devyn licked and sucked, shivering as he grazed Sully’s Adam’s apple with the sharp edges of his teeth. “Yes,” He murmured. “Bite me.” Startled silence greeted this demand, and he wondered if he’d exposed too much too soon, then a sharp nip of teeth and he groaned, wrapping both hands around Devyn’s head to guide him to the spot he liked best. “Make love to me.” A deep shudder racked Sully’s body, and he swore his cock doubled in size the

instant his brain comprehended the words. “Not yet, not yet,” he whispered soothingly, stroking the lean muscles under the tank top Devyn wore. He allowed enough space between them to pull the shirt off and quickly removed his own, hissing in pleasure at the contact of bare flesh. Oh, God. This was not a good. He was too aroused, too on edge. He had to do this right, make it good for Devyn. For the first time, he cursed Devyn’s virginity. Getting down and dirty, a bit of wham bam thank you man had its place in a man’s sexual repertoire, but not for a first time. A man’s first time needed to be slow, tender and careful. Maybe he shouldn’t be doing this. “Are you sure?” He hated this. He’d be living in torment if Devyn changed his mind. “This is big step. You should maybe not do this with someone you’ve just met.” Devyn answered him by dragging his mouth back for another kiss. “I don’t feel like I just met you. It seems like I’ve known you forever. I trust you. I want the first time to be with you.” Jesus. He shouldn’t be so relieved, so happy. Devyn’s blind faith in him, that he wouldn’t hurt him, put him on his mettle. Now he had to make it memorable. Tenderly, wonderingly, he brought their mouths together again, reaching for the drawstrings of their shorts and loosed both with a single tug. Devyn’s husky voice whimpered into his mouth, just a trace of laughter buried there in the thread of sound, “Sully, please.” He thrust his hips forward, and their cocks glided together in an intimate caress. Sully took Devyn’s hand again and led him to the bed, positioning him on his back. This position was more intimate; it spoke of emotion, of engagement beyond sex. It would allow him to measure Devyn’s responses through the expressions on his face, the emotion in his eyes. He fumbled the drawer of the nightstand open and withdrew a tube of lube and a condom packet. He climbed onto the bed, kneeling between Devyn’s raised knees. He stroked the soft flesh over hard muscle, curling his hand around a calf and urging his

legs wider. Leaning forward, he brushed his lips lightly over the tattoo on Devyn’s shoulder and slowly began licking and kissing his way along the pattern. Devyn writhed and whimpered beneath him, arching up, seeking contact for his cock. Sully pressed him in place with a flat hand on his taut belly. “Oral fixation, remember?” Devyn’s pierced brow rose mockingly. “Celibate for damn near a year.” Chuckling, Sully gave in. “You win, this time. But I will have my way. Be warned. I intend to lick, suck and bite every inch of you before either of us comes next time.” Devyn snorted. “Let’s deal with this time, first, okay?” Sully popped the lid off the lube and spread some on an index finger. He reached between Devyn’s spread thighs, and sought the opening there. With his other hand, he stroked Devyn’s cock, and then leaned down to kiss the swollen mouth again. He needed to distract Devyn from the certainty of the pain that would come when he first breached the untouched flesh. He rubbed gentle circles around the puckered opening before daring to apply direct pressure to the tiny hole, feeling it resist then give slightly. The nipping kiss of that delicate flesh caused his cock to surge eagerly. Devyn, make it good for Devyn. He trailed hot, open-mouthed wet kisses down from Devyn’s chin over his throat, seeking the hardened tips of his nipples. There he bit, suckled, and played with the nipple ring until Devyn writhed frantically in lust. The wriggling motions of Devyn’s body forced his finger deeper, and at last, he felt the ring of muscle give and allow him entry. The hot flesh closed tightly around him and he matched Devyn’s groan with his own. When he judged Devyn had become accustomed to the invasion of a single finger; he drew back and pressed forward again with two fingers. His love convulsed beneath him, whimpering in

surprise. “Too much…” he murmured through harsh breaths. “Shh…” Sully soothed, stilling the movements of his fingers, pressing gently against the tight clinging walls of Devyn’s passage. “You’re so tight, baby. It burns now, but in a minute, it’ll be so good… you can’t even imagine….” He began slowly withdrawing his fingers and pushing them forward again, carefully watching the tension in Devyn’s face dissolve as the pleasure overcame the pain of his entry. He spread his fingers apart, stretching the opening until Devyn moaned loudly. Slowly, eyes on Devyn’s face, he withdrew his fingers and reached for the condom. Ripping the packet, he clumsily rolled the latex down his length. Sully shuddered, hands fumbling with the rest of the lubricant as he rapidly slicked the head and shaft of his cock. He crawled forward, bracing himself with one hand against Devyn’s creamy thigh. Gritting his teeth, he pressed the head of his cock against the virginal opening that awaited him, trembling from the effort of holding back. The urge to just ram forward and revel in that clinging heat caressing his full length was almost overpowering. Instead he pressed gently, feeling the stretch and give of the ring, feeling it constrict against his head as Devyn tensed briefly. “Relax,” he whispered soothingly kissing along Devyn’s jaw to his waiting mouth. Moving nothing but his lips, he kissed and licked, sucked at Devyn’s mouth, plunging his tongue in again and again, rubbing it against Devyn’s tongue and teeth until Devyn’s tension loosened and he returned the kiss. Slowly, distracting Devyn with his plundering mouth, Sully managed to push forward until the ring gave and hot softness engulfed the head of his cock. He moaned, stilling to let Devyn grow accustomed to this new sensation. Devyn whimpered into his mouth and pushed up against him. Sully cursed as Devyn’s actions sent him gliding forward, stretching untried flesh.

Devyn yelped quietly. Sully grasped his hip to hold him still. “Shh. Careful baby, I don’t want to hurt you. Really, it would be better if you let me do this.”Devyn nodded, his eyes closing, lips tightening. Sully ignored the clinging heat that massaged his cock while he kissed and soothed the tears from Devyn’s eyes. He wasn’t even sure when it happened, but soon they were moving slowly together, and the only sounds that escaped Devyn’s mouth were soft echoes of his own passionate moans. Devyn tensed beneath him again, and Sully reached for his cock. Swollen thick and hard, it leaked pre-cum in a steady stream. Sully stroked Devyn from base to tip in a firm grip, pausing at the top of each stroke to rub his thumb across the head teasing the opening there, gathering more slick drops. He timed his thrusts to match the strokes of his fist, and soon the two of them cried out as they came together. They lay side by side, breathing heavily. “Soundproof, huh?” Devyn ventured. CHAPTER 9 Devyn allowed Sully’s possessive grip on his hand as they crossed the paved walkway to the back patio again. The silence indicated that everyone had retired inside, and he hoped Kail was napping. He’d be cranky and everyone would be miserable if he missed his nap. Kind of like Sully and the coffee this morning. He grinned, casting a quick glance at his new lover. Lover. He savored the word. And truly, foolish as it might seem, he’d felt loved as though Sully made love to him, instead of simply fucking him. Even with Kayla, it hadn’t been like that, well… aside from the fact that she was a girl; it had seemed a burden to engage in sex with her. On the empty patio, Sully grabbed two bottles of beer from the cooler and pushed the sliding glass door open. They stepped inside to the muffled sound of voices at the front of the house. Devyn tried to pull his hand away, not wanting to be overt about what they’d been doing, bad enough both of them

bore marks it was impossible to hide under a tank top. Sully just squeezed tighter, then drew his hand up to his mouth and began nibbling at his knuckles one by one. Devyn froze. Heat rose in his cheeks, and he silently cursed the pale skin that refused to tan. His lack of movement brought Sully to a stop, and the man raised an inquiring brow. Devyn opened his mouth, huffed a bit, and closed it. He tried again. “Umm… what…” Sully grinned broadly. “Oh… sorry… Oral fixation?” He dropped their hands and swung them between them as he led Devyn to the front of the house, where a quick glance around brought Devyn's visions of a happily ever after crashing down around his feet. Dude and Tally sat side by side on a long leather sofa, staring intently at a news story on a large screen TV. Devyn trembled and shook, and Sully’s hand clenched tightly around his own. The news program showed a photo of him with Kail in his arms leaving Kayla’s apartment building. The man on TV didn’t look loved and content. He looked furious and … bad. “Reports of a noncustodial parent kidnapping in Huntington Beach this afternoon. Kayla Starke, the child’s mother, returned home this afternoon to discover the child missing. Authorities ask that anyone with information leading to the return of Kail Starke to his family please call this hotline number. Last seen in company with this man, Devyn Starke, age twenty-two.” “Turn it off, please.” Sully sounded calm. Why wasn’t he yelling? Screaming at him? Was he going to call the police? “I can explain.” He offered feebly. “It’s not like they make it sound.” “I know it’s not.” Sully soothed, leading him to an armchair by the sofa. Sully settled into the chair and tugged Devyn into his lap before he could protest.

“I don’t know it’s not.” Dude asserted. “Convince me why I shouldn’t turn you in right now. You knew about this?” He turned a hard gaze on Sully, who simply shrugged. “I knew something was up. I didn’t know what. Devyn was clearly ill at ease and not used to caring for Kail alone. Now, baby, why don’t you tell us how it really is?” “You realize, we could be reprimanded for this?” Dude interrupted before Devyn could respond, ignoring him to address Sully. “It’s not likely to come to that. He’s had Kail for over a week that I know of for sure. They moved into my building last week. So an hour to hear Devyn out isn’t going to make any difference, is it?” “Last week?” Incredulous, Dude leaned forward. “Give me one of those.” He snatched a beer from Sully and popped the cap. Sully relaxed slightly. Devyn tried to shift off his lap, but Sully wasn’t having any of that. “You,” Dude pointed at Devyn with the beer bottle. “Talk. I give you forty-five minutes to convince me that putting my career and his on the line is worthwhile. Start with why you introduced yourself as Strake.” “What? Career?” He appealed to Sully for help. Sully seemed conversant in Dude speak. “Dude is my partner. We’re HBPD. Guess you missed the cruiser when we were out by the garage. As for the name, I get it. Close enough to your own to remember, different enough not to be a red flag.” Shit. He was so fucked. “Let me just take Kail and go. I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me. I’m not worth it.” Sully shook him. Devyn gasped. “I’ll decide what, or who is worth my effort and time.”

Devyn stared at him, shocked. “You don’t see it, do you?” “See what?” “The tats, the piercings, they don’t’ scream bad boy to you do they?” Sully’s head tilted as he considered the question. “You want to know what they scream to me? Here? Now? In front of my sister and her husband? They scream lick me, bite me, suck me—” Devyn slapped his hand roughly over Sully’s mouth, eyes widening as he continued to mumble against the palm. “Okay I get it. It’s just, the judge, he took one look at the tats and piercings six months ago, and he decided to grant Kayla custody. I get visitation four days every other weekend until I’m out of school.” He answered the unasked question. “I’m in my fourth year at UCI studying premed. I have up to eight more years of school. I can’t be a part-time Dad for eight years. I’ve been working with my Dad and my lawyer on appealing the custody arrangement. Kayla—she’s not a good mother.” Sully removed Devyn’s hand from his mouth by simple force. “How do you come to have Kail now, if you don’t have custody?” Devyn stared deep into Sully’s eyes. There truly was not judgment there. Interest, understanding, demand for truth, yes. And sympathy. And… something else. “I was supposed to meet her a week ago Saturday to get Kail for my weekend. She didn’t show up. She blew me off on Friday, which is when I was supposed to get him, and then Saturday she didn’t even call to say she wasn’t coming. I was pissed. Well, wouldn’t you be?” He hated the pleading tone of his voice as he met Dude’s eyes. Ice blue eyes vouched him no reassurance, but Tally murmured what sounded like an affirmation. Emboldened, even by that feeble show of support, he continued. “So I went on

over to her place. It wasn’t the kind of place to raise a kid. It was trashy and I know the support my Dad and I pay her is enough for a much nicer place. Anyway—I could hear Kail screaming and crying on the other side of the door, but no one answered when I knocked. I looked through the window, and there he was, in a playpen, no one else around. I broke in.” Defiant now, he declared, “I’d do it again. She had no business leaving him alone.” The three adults stared at him in growing outrage. “And this was over a week ago? Not today? Like these news people make out?” Even the stoic Dude seemed appalled. Remembering, he pulled his phone from his pocket and brought up the photos of the drug paraphernalia. “Here.” He shoved it at Sully. “I went to change his diaper and found this stuff by the couch, next to his diaper bag.” Silence reigned as the phone was passed around. As Tally stared in horror at the pictures of needles and the white baggie of coke, it rang startling them all. Devyn leapt from his perch on Sully’s lap and grabbed the phone. “Sorry, I’ve been waiting for my Dad to call.” He thought about asking for privacy, but figured they already knew the whole story. They could turn him in if they wanted to. “Devyn, I’ve got it. A few rounds of golf with the right people this afternoon and we’ve got your custody hearing moved up to tomorrow morning at eight sharp. Oh, and son… Don’t watch the news. Got to go. I’ll meet you there, okay?” “Thanks, Dad.” He spoke to empty air. His Dad was a busy man. He’d always been busy. Devyn had spent years rebelling as a teen, hence the tats and piercings, trying to get a tiny fraction of the man’s attention, his time, to no avail. This though, had brought out his father’s protective instincts. As soon as Kayla started divorce proceedings, Dad had been right at his side, supportive emotionally and financially. Would that still be the situation when this was resolved? Maybe not. But at least he knew he could count on his Dad when he

needed him these days. He peered desperately around the room. “I took him from that apartment for his own safety. Please. I have a custody hearing tomorrow morning to appeal. Don’t turn me in.” “I cannot believe it took that fucking bitch,” Tally spit out, "a week to realize her child wasn’t there.” Dude wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders and eyed Devyn up and down assessingly. “You look bad, all right, but your heart’s in the right place. Sometimes doing the right thing is more important than doing the legal thing.” Sully rose from his armchair and crossed to Devyn. Devyn met his eyes stoically, waiting for condemnation that never came. Instead, Sully passed a light kiss over his brow, flicking the stud there with his tongue in passing. God bless that oral fixation! “I’ll go with you. We’d better get Kail and head on home now, Tally.” And that was that. How did they make support seem so simple? CHAPTER 10 Sully clung to Devyn’s hand, indulgently smiling at the stunned expression on the young father’s face. “Full custody Devyn. That’s what you wanted, right?” “Yeah, it is. I just, it seems unreal that it was so easy. After the hell I went through just to get visitation with that last judge, I can’t believe this.” “Believe this asshole!” Kayla shrieked. Devyn’s petite blonde ex swung her Coach bag in a wide arc, attempting to land a blow to Devyn’s head, but Sully reacted on instinct, crushing her wrist in a bruising grip and slowly forcing her hand back. “This isn’t the end of this! Let go! Let me go, you… you… Fag!” Devyn backed up, bumping into Sully who stood his ground for both of them. He flung Kayla’s manicured hand away and wrapped a protective arm around

Devyn’s middle. “I have to inform you ma’am that you are assaulting a plain clothes policeman.” “He kidnapped my son!” She raged, glaring hatefully at them. “You abandoned Kail!” Devyn’s recovery pleased Sully. “He was alone in a drug den! You didn’t even know he was gone for over a week.” The blonde pouted. “I knew. I just couldn’t do anything about it yet.” By that, she must mean she needed time to clean out the paraphernalia before calling the cops over. Fortunately the lawyer had the photographic evidence, and a mandatory on the spot drug test, coupled with the needle marks that just couldn’t be hidden made the judge decide to allow Kayla only supervised visits with Kail, at Devyn’s discretion. Alligator tears welled in the baby blue eyes and trickled slowly down rouged cheeks. She was pretty enough, but the drugs and hard life style would age her before her time. “I miss him. I miss you Devyn. You aren’t really gay. Remember how good things were between us? We can have that again. Can we please try again?” Devyn’s chest swelled on a deeply drawn breath and air whooshed audibly from his lungs. “Kayla, please. We’re done. We’ve been done a long time.” He twisted his head to press a light kiss to Sully’s cheek. “I’m with Sully now.” “You aren’t gay, Devyn! You bastard! You’ve forced him into this somehow! He’s straight!” Vitriol burned in the acid tones and ugly color mottled her face under the make-up. She didn’t look so sweet and innocent now as she had standing beside her lawyer in the demur Chanel suit. Now the true nature of the beast showed through as her hands curled into lethal looking claws and she tensed as though to strike. Sully stiffened. His arm tensed. Devyn was his. He knew it in his soul. Slowly, deliberately, he met those scornful blue eyes, unwrapped his arm from around

Devyn’s waist and raised both hands in the air. “I’m not forcing him to do anything. My help is freely given, in and out of the courtroom.” “Oh for the love of God!” Devyn burst out. “I’m not gay, okay Kayla? Happy now?” Searing pain. Unbelievable. Had Devyn been using him? Had he read too much into a few hours of companionship and caring for a sick child? Too much into the gift of Devyn’s virginity? He waited patiently, tense and nearing panic. “I knew it!” Triumph echoed in the voice he was beginning to hate. “You know nothing, Kayla.” Devyn cut her off sharply. “I’m bisexual. I always have been. And I’m not blinded by you like I was at sixteen. You’re not missing me, you’re not missing Kail. You’re freaking out about where you’re going to get the money to support your habits without child support. Well, I don’t know where that’s coming from, and quite frankly, I don’t give a fuck. Back off, I’ll call you when my lawyer contacts me about the results for your drug test. When and if you’re clean and sober, we’ll talk about a visit.” Devyn turned, and right there, on the courthouse steps, in front of any bystanders who happened to pass, embraced Sully and tilted his head up for a kiss. Eagerly, Sully obliged, pressing the lips he’d been chewing nervously to Devyn’s, taking time to lick and suck the piercing in his plump lower lip, shuddering as Devyn ground slowly against his thigh. “Argh!” The rapid click of heels on marble signaled Kayla’s exit. A loud throat clearing dragged him back from the passionate haze that had begun to cloud his vision. “I don’t want to interrupt, Devyn. But I’ve got someone here who has a vested interest in the outcome of the hearing.” Devyn jerked out of his arms so fast he nearly fell backwards. Sully steadied him with a hand on his waist that Devyn shook off abruptly. Fuck. Not again.

Light dawned as Devyn began speaking. “Dad, this is Officer Sullivan Moore. He … well… I….” Sully laughed. The older man looked interested, not condemning. He had to have understood what Devyn was stumbling over explaining just from seeing that kiss. Reaching out to take a gurgling Kail, Sully cut through Devyn’s babbling. “I live upstairs from Devyn. Came this morning to lend him some moral support. Not that he needed it. The situation was pretty clear cut.” The older man offered him a hand to shake, eyes twinkling in amusement. “So. You’re just neighbors?” Devyn stilled, “No. We’re dating Dad.” He turned pleading eyes on Sully, who nodded, and wrapped his free arm around Devyn’s waist. “Well, then. If I’m not needed here, Devyn, I have things I can do.” Mr. Starke pivoted on one shiny heel and marched sharply off to an illegally parked Mercedes sedan. He took a diaper bag from the passenger seat, set on the pavement, and headed to the driver’s side. “Bring Sully and Kail to dinner one night. Your stepmother would like that.” He called as he slid behind the wheel and peeled out of the turnaround. Sully gazed after him in astonishment. For a coming out moment, that had been… weird. “Devyn?” “Yeah?” Devyn seemed bemused as well. “Does he know you’re bisexual?” “No. I barely knew before I married Kayla. Then afterward, there was no point. Oh… You mean because of his reaction? He’s always like that. I did find out in all this over Kail that he’s always been there when I really needed him though. When I was younger, I thought it was because he didn't care. Now I know it's because he trusts me to let him know when I need him.”

Sully pondered. “So, does that mean he’ll watch Kail if we want to go out? You know, for a real date?” Chuckling, Devyn nodded. “Probably. Do you want to have dinner over there? We don’t have to.” “I want to. I want to know the place you grew up, the people who raised you to be such a wonderful father to Kail.” Words trembled at the tip of his tongue, dying to be said. He reached for the key around his neck, thought better of it, and just let them go. “I’m not trying to pressure you, you know. Honestly, if you just want to be friends, I can handle that. Maybe.” “No! I’ve never felt like this, Sully. Not about Kayla, not about anyone. It’s different. I think it could be special.” Devyn flushed and worried his lip piercing with his tongue. Reassured, hating the doubt that Kayla had created with her vicious remarks, he bent and kissed the top of Devyn’s head. “Yeah. Me too. I’ve been around the block a time or two. You don’t get to my age and not do that, you know? But it’s never been like this.” Solemnly, he contemplated Kail’s sleepily content face. “I think this could be something big, baby, for all of us.” EPILOGUE HEA ~ Six Months Later Who’s Taking You Home Sully looked up from the ball at his feet and nearly stumbled into his teammate. Devyn sat in the bleachers watching him, little Kail snuggled neatly on his lap. Warmth bloomed and a ridiculous smile spread over his face. It took a cleat to his ankle to draw his attention back to the game at hand, and when he looked up again the good feelings, the pride in his game, the thrill of knowing the man he loved watched him, all drained away. On the third row of the bleachers, Devyn sat next to a big-haired blonde

woman, who was smiling and laughing so loudly that Sully could hear her on the soccer field. His lip lifted in a snarl as he saw a hand tipped with blood red spikes land on Devyn’s knee. The snarl became verbal when Devyn’s husky laugh echoed hers. The tattooed man made no move to discourage the woman’s grip on his denim-clad leg. Fury mingled with unease as Sully jerked his attention back to the game. He couldn’t afford not to focus out here. But the niggling worry of a voice at the back of his head reminded him, Devyn is bisexual. He might find that woman a real temptation. When the opposing team called a time out, Sully took the opportunity to check on Devyn again. To his relief, the young man still sat in the third row, the woman next to him made a show of playing with a clearly uninterested Kail. Way to go little man! He waved and called out to the baby from the field. “Hi! Kail!” The baby bounced in his father’s lap, clapping his hands and reaching for Sully. He should feel guilty, about that, but Sully just waved some more, then raised his eyes from the giggling baby’s face to meet his father’s dark eyes. He grabbed the chain around his neck, the chain with the key to their apartment, and lifted it to his mouth. A bad habit, but he had no interest in breaking it. His oral fixation was deeply rooted, and hell, he fucking enjoyed it. Locking eyes with Devyn’s dark gaze, he watched the other man’s pupils widen as he licked the little key with the barest tip of tongue. It was enough, a reminder, flirt all you want, baby, you go home with me at the end of the day. Devyn’s face flushed and his lips parted, Sully could almost swear he saw the other man’s breath come faster, heard the rush of his pulse. The harsh tweet of the ref’s whistle dragged his attention back to the game, and he played out the last five minutes, anticipation building, and adrenaline flowing. He knew he was distracted, but he couldn’t help it. He refused to give Devyn the satisfaction of looking over and seeing him flirt with that woman any more, but he couldn’t ignore the knowledge of what was going on either. When the final whistle blew, he stalked over to the cooler, grabbed a bottle of

water and scanned the crowd for Tallia. Devyn and Kail could come to him. There, Tallia prissed her way across the grass in the ridiculous heels she affected, as though anyone would believe she was an inch over four–eleven no matter what she wore on her feet. “Sis!” He called, wiping sweat from his brow with the t-shirt he’d just stripped off. “Sully, you coming for pizza? I can’t hang out. I got the kids in the car. Just need to get Dude and we’re on our way.” She made an incomplete air kiss gesture in his direction as she looked for her husband, Sully’s best friend and partner in crime. “Yeah, hey listen, Sis. Can you take Kail with you? Devyn and I have something we need to do before we get there, but it’ll only take about twenty minutes.” He felt their presence behind him even before the baby’s sweet giggle reached his ears and the tiny hands grabbed at his arm. Devyn’s warm grip on his hand as he came up next to him didn’t surprise him. “Twenty minutes, Sully? That’s all you think it’ll take?” The challenge in Devyn’s voice sparked the banked fire, and he nearly groaned. His hand tightened in a crushing grip on Devyn’s hand. “Twenty minutes, Sis. Order us a pitcher of beer and a large cheese pizza. We’ll be right there, I promise.” “Okay. You sure he’ll come to me?” Tallia held out her hands and little Kail burrowed into his father’s shoulder, looking shyly up from under his brows at her. “Allow me,” Sully couldn’t resist showing off, even though he felt like he’d explode if he didn’t get relief soon. The need to lay claim to Devyn here and now was nearly overwhelming. He held out his hands to Kail, and smiled with pleasure when the little boy came willingly to him. “Start the car.” He ordered Devyn. Not waiting to see if his little rebel obeyed his command, he strode off

across the grass toward Tallia’s gas guzzling SUV. Tallia made little running hops beside him, trying to keep up, and both of them called out to Dude as they passed him. At the SUV, a little shuffling of children from seat to seat emptied a built in car seat for Kail, and Sully spent a few precious minutes giving kisses and Dutch rubs to his favorite nieces and nephews. Another promise to be at the restaurant as soon as possible, and he was waving them away. He jogged swiftly over to his own little energy efficient car. As ordered, Devyn sat behind the wheel, staring defiantly at him. “Slide over. I said you could start it, not drive it.” Devyn wiggled a little as he complied, and Sully groaned at the sight of the fine ass encased in tight denim. He slid into his own seat, slammed the door with a little more force than necessary, and dragged Devyn immediately into a kiss. The meeting of their lips set off the arousal that he’d battled since he’d first seen his beautiful man across the soccer field. Devyn was always gorgeous, but never more so than when he held his son in such a tender manner. Devyn’s thin lips were soft, and hard, salty and sweet. Sully found that once again, having started, he couldn’t stop. He cupped Devyn’s head in his hands and realigned their mouths. The kiss went from simple to intense in seconds as Devyn met his lips with a hot openmouthed response. Tongues tangled as Sully stroked deeper, brushing against soft, wet, heated places with the firm intention of asserting his ownership. Mine. Flirt with whoever you want, you’re mine. Mine to kiss, mine to touch. His wandering hand slid into the crease of Devyn’s thigh, rubbing and stroking tiny circles on the fabric of his jeans. The denim was rough and thick, but he could feel the heat of Devyn’s body through it. He ran his questing hand up, to press firmly against Devyn’s urgent erection, growling into the kiss as Devyn responded with an eager moan. Sully gently squeezed the hard shaft through the denim. He dragged his mouth away and looked deep into dark brown eyes. Devyn shuddered under his touch. “Do it,” he whispered. It was Sully’s turn to shudder. The thrill of knowing he

could make Devyn want him even when they risked being caught spurred him on. “I love your mouth. On mine, on my skin. Suck me.” He begged, “Please. Ever since I saw you put the key in your mouth, it’s all I could think of, I want your mouth on me.” Sully bit back a groan as he opened the jeans and discovered silky smooth flesh, stiff and hot, and unencumbered by underwear. So fucking sexy. Slowly he explored the length and thickness, listening to Devyn’s moans, and pleas. He wanted to take Devyn into his mouth too, but they were responsible adults, parents to a small child. A ticket for indecent exposure wasn’t an option. “Watch for anyone approaching the car,” he finally committed himself to the action. Fuck the risk. Right now, he needed to reassert his claim, to remind Devyn who was taking him home. Licking his lips, he leaned into the bucket seat, holding Devyn’s thick cock up to meet his tongue as he licked it carefully. He knew exactly how to drive Devyn mad this way, and he intended to use every bit of knowledge he’d gained in the six months they’d lived together to reinforce his place in Devyn’s life. Harsh gasps and urgent murmurs told him he succeeded as he found sensitive places and teased with teeth, tongue and lips. Satisfied, he opened his mouth over the leaking tip and sank down, settling into a deep, hard suction while massaging the underside with his tongue. He scraped his teeth along the surface on an upward draw, and Devyn stiffened, choking out a garbled moan as he came. Sully brought their mouths together again for a slow, leisurely kiss. He tenderly kissed Devyn’s moist, bruised lips ignoring Devyn’s offer to return the favor, despite the clamoring of his dick for release, and settled back into his seat. Staring into the darkening brown eyes, he parted his lips lightly in invitation which Devyn instantly accepted, sweeping his tongue in broad strokes into Sully’s mouth, leaving him gasping for breath and wanting more. The taste of Devyn’s cum, mingled with sweat and his natural sweetness were intoxicating.

Devyn’s hand on the buttons of his fly reminded him to open his eyes and watch for people in the parking lot. He shifted in the seat to give Devyn more room to maneuver, relishing the strength in those tattooed hands. Sully closed his hand in a firm grip over Devyn’s as the other man drew his cock from the confines of his shorts. He placed the hand where he wanted it, wrapped tight around his cock. Sully groaned his approval of Devyn’s touch, drawing back from the kiss to press hot moist kisses to Devyn’s rough, stubbled jaw line. He guided Devyn’s exploring fingers to a firmer touch, a faster stroke. He licked the stretched flesh around the gauge in Devyn’s ear. Not something he found sexy in the normal course of events, Devyn’s piercings excited him. His mouth free to explore, he dragged his lips, tingling from the rough contact with the scruffy stubble, to the soft flesh behind his ear, sucking and licking along the way. Devyn’s whimper of acquiescence was music to his ears, and he nibbled down to the hollow of his collarbone, burying his lips in the tender flesh there, to bite and suck, knowing the mark would be visible to all. The pleasure of possession, of staking his claim, sent him tipping over the edge of arousal, and Sully’s grunted warning came quickly. Devyn dropped quickly to press his lips to the pulsing tip of Sully’s cock, licking and sucking hungrily. Sully’s choked, “I’m cumming,” barely preceded the spurt of thick creamy liquid from the blushed mushroom head of his cock. Devyn shuddered as the warm liquid filled his mouth, swallowing, humming in pleasure. “You closed your eyes.” The husky purr was followed by the gentle clack of the tongue stud against Devyn’s teeth, something he only did when he was nervous, or couldn’t find the words he wanted. Panting for breath, Sully pulled Devyn away from his cock, rubbing at the piercing in his bottom lip with his thumb. “I love you.” The gruff statement brought a sparkle of confidence to Devyn’s eyes, and he nipped sharply at Sully’s thumb. “I love you. You know that. There’s absolutely no reason to get jealous over

every one I talk to.” Devyn stretched, back cracking as he slithered back into his own seat. “It’s not everyone.” Head tilted to the side, Devyn studied him. “No, it’s not, is it?” Feeling a little foolish, Sully forced the words out. “It’s just women. I know you’re bi. And they can give you something I can’t. I’m afraid if you ever leave me it’s going to be for a woman.” Devyn’s disgusted snort pleased him. “Drive. Our son is waiting for us at the pizza place with your sister and brother-in-law.” Comfortable silence filled the little car on the short drive. When Sully found a parking space at the back of the crowded lot, Devyn stopped his exit from the car. “I won’t, you know.” “Won’t?” “Leave you for a woman. Being married to Kail’s mother was pure hell. I was sixteen and stupid. When she miscarried the first baby, I thought I owed it to her to stick around. Kail is the only good thing that came out of that decision. That, and meeting you. I love you, Sullivan J. Moore.” He pressed his hand on Sully’s chest, directly over his heart. “The person here. I don’t love you cuz you’re a guy. I won’t stop loving you cuz you’re not a woman.” Embarrassed to be read so easily, to be reassured by the younger man, Sully pulled away. “We’ve got to go inside.” He mumbled. He was older, damn it! He should be the wise one. He made a show of locking the door in a blatant play to get more time to get his emotions under control. Devyn waited for him patiently at the hood of the car. “Okay?” he asked solicitously.

Sully nodded, holding on tight when Devyn grabbed his hand. “Good, cuz I’m starved.” They entered the pizza place together, and Sully felt as though every eye in the place focused on them. Dude’s mocking comment carried across to them easily, “Well, now, don’t y’all just glow.” Kail’s babbling calls for Daddy distracted him from the urge to punch his brother-in-law, and Tallia’s children noticed their arrival at the exact moment. The air was full of excited laughter, and he had duties to perform, kisses to dispense, and later, a man to take home. THE END Author bio: Lee Brazil is an avid reader and former teacher of grammar and composition who believes that falling in love is the grandest adventure anyone can have. In a nutshell, that’s every story I have to tell. Relocating from the crazy pace of life in Southern California's Orange County to the beautiful and leisurely atmosphere of the Illinois countryside has given me the time to indulge the desire to write that I set aside when I started teaching fourteen years ago. Readers can find out more about me and my writing by visiting me at my blog, http://leebrazilauthor.blogspot.com/ or finding me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1... Feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]