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Between Friends by Sean Michael Torquere Press www.torquerepress.com Copyright ©2007 by Sean Michael First published ...

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Between Friends by Sean Michael

Torquere Press www.torquerepress.com

Copyright ©2007 by Sean Michael First published in www.torquerepress.com, 2007 NOTICE: This eBook is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution to any person via email, floppy disk, network, print out, or any other means is a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines and/or imprisonment. This notice overrides the Adobe Reader permissions which are erroneous. This eBook cannot be legally lent or given to others. This eBook is displayed using 100% recycled electrons.

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Chapter One Moving sucked big hairy rocks. Sammy frowned and winced as a bunch of hairy, overgrown hooligans carried boxes from their apartment toward the van. "Those vases are worth a fortune, guys! A fortune!" He was beginning to get shrill; he knew it, but he still wasn't sure they should buy a house. A real house. In like a neighborhood and stuff. What if everyone hated them? What if things broke? What if the 'net connections were horked and he couldn't work? What if... "Goddamn it! Don't bang that mirror around!" Peter came around a corner, one eyebrow climbing up into his hairline. "Samuel. I think perhaps you should leave the movers to their job and come with me." "They're not being careful, love. Those are our things. Some of them are incredibly fragile. What if things break? What would I tell my clients? My artists?" "I could fire them. I'm sure it would only take you ... a week, maybe two, to do it yourself." One of Peter's hands landed on his back, rubbing. "We could just stay here..." His head fell forward, the pressure exactly what he needed. "No, we couldn't." Peter's fingers dug in harder. "We're vacating these premises and moving into the house we bought together. And you're going to like it." 3


"Are you sure?" It was a huge, rambling old thing and the light was beautiful and it was up on a hill and ... it was different. Peter's breath slid over his ear. "I'm sure. Once you see the renovations I made on the big room in the north corner of the second floor, you're not going to want to live anywhere else." "Oh." Sammy shuddered, eyes closing a second. "Tell me?" "Only if you come with me." Peter's arm went around his shoulders, leading him out of the way of the movers. He followed, Peter—solid and warm beside him—leading him. Guiding him. Peter took him out to their little balcony and leaned against the rail, tugging him to stand between long legs. "It's navy blue so at night the walls will disappear, and the floors are carpeted the same dark color in a thick pile." Sammy reached out, fingers sliding over Peter's face, loving the stubble, the way it caught his fingers. Peter smiled, nuzzled against his hand. "There's built in cupboards to hold our toys and a huge bed—I made the head and footboards myself, complete with custom made restraints." "Oh, Peter. Really? Like a whole room to play?" A room to get into his head space and relax and just be Peter's. "A whole room just for us, with everything we could possibly need. It even has a little fridge with bottled water and sodas, some snacks." "That seems so decadent. So ... indulgent." They'd been making due with a section of the walk-in closet, with their own bed. 4


He was held in place by a piercing look from green eyes. "You deserve the indulgence, the decadence." Sammy caught himself shaking his head, disagreeing instinctively, without even thinking about it. Peter slapped his ass, fingers stinging through his trousers. "Stop that." "Ow!" Damn it. He ... damn. Almost six years they'd been together and he still shuddered at that sting. "No denigrating yourself, Samuel. I will not have it." "I..." He blushed dark, eyes flashing over to see if anyone was watching. "Yes, Peter." "Eyes on me." He was given another slap. "This move has you really rattled, doesn't it?" He met Peter's eyes, staring into that bright green as he nodded. "What if this is a mistake? What if we're supposed to stay here? What if they hate us in the 'burbs? What if..." Peter's mouth crashed down onto his, stopping the flow of words as their teeth hit and clicked. Oh. Sammy held on, the world tilting beneath his feet as Peter stole his breath, his sense. Peter bent him back, deepening the kiss, promising him the world. It might have gone on forever except for the throat clearing. He blinked, but he didn't tense up. Peter had him. It was cool. He was cool. He was. Peter gentled the kiss and then ended it, bringing him back up to lean against his lover. "Jason. How nice to see you." 5


Jason—one of their oldest friends, in fact the man had been responsible, really, for a certain Halloween nightmare gone right—stood in the doorway, cheeks slightly pink. "I think you'd be happier to see me if I'd showed up a little later." Blue eyes twinkled at them. "And I'm going to have to suggest this as a tension reliever the next time Harry and I move." "You're not allowed to move!" He grinned at Jase, one hand reaching out. Harry and Jason were one reason they were heading out to the boondocks. They lived within walking distance of the new house—Harry had left a good job as a homicide detective to work for the sheriff's department out of the city. Jason chuckled, taking his hand and squeezing it before coming in to hug and kiss them both. "No moving—that works for me. I just hate it." Jason shivered dramatically and nodded back toward the house. "And where did you get the movers from? There's not a stud in the bunch." "It's Peter's fault. He wouldn't let me do it on my own." Sammy pouted dramatically, eyes rolling as Harry's booming laugh sounded, the muscle-bound cop rounding the corner. "Queen it up, Sammy. How's it going, boyos?" Jase's face lit up, just as it always did whenever he saw Harry. They'd been together forever, and still Jase felt like that for Harry. It gave a man hope. "They're hiding," Jase said, arm sliding around Harry's waist. "Staying out of the way," corrected Peter, shaking hands with Harry. 6


"Freaking out quietly," Sammy added, leaning back against Peter. Harry chuckled, nodded. "You've been in this little apartment a while. Laffy there needed a place to muck about in." "Muck about." Peter laughed and shook his head. "I'm hiring a gardener; there will be no muck." "Don't sell the gardening short, Laf. It's very rewarding. I've got a mini maze planned out, you know." He did know; Harry had joked that Jase wanted to buy the place they backed on to, tear down the house, and build a full-sized version. "I don't know ... I'll have to get my clients used to a new address and..." He brokered art for designers, for collectors. It was a great job, but it required being in the city and traveling and he just... Harry chuckled. "He's like a balky horse, Laffy." "I am not!" "Okay," Harry was laughing at him, brown eyes dancing. "A queeny, balky horse." "A racehorse, legs all trembly, flanks quivering, trusting only the hand of his master." Peter's words slid over his nerves like a balm. Jase popped Harry in the arm. "If Sam's queeny, then so am I." Harry snorted. "If the foo shits, baby." They all cracked up, their laughter ringing out.

7


Another head popped out the door. "We're finishing up. I need this signed and the address confirmed." A piece of paper was thrust out toward Jase, closest to the door. Peter grabbed it and signed it without comment before passing it back. "You got someone at this place to let us in?" Peter nodded. "We'll meet you there." Oh. Oh, man. They were going to. Oh. Wow. He met Peter's eyes, trembling. "This is the right thing to do, right?" Peter pressed their lips together in a kiss. "Trust me." "Aww ... aren't they sweet, Harry." That eyebrow of Peter's went up again. "We are not sweet." "Adorable." Harry was an ass. "Our sweet little sugarbritches buddies." Peter snorted. "Come on. You promised to give us a lift, and we should go." Their car had been sideswiped when it was parked on the street. Another reason to move. "We did. And we've got the number for the pizza guy on speed dial." Harry nodded to him, smile gentling. "Do you want to sleep at our place, Sammy? Avoid the boxes?" "No. No, Peter and I can get the bed set up. We'll be fine." Wigged out, not crazy. Jase smiled and patted Harry's belly. "Harry's right, though, if you change your mind. I never feel settled until the last box is unpacked." Peter straightened, arm going around his shoulders as they headed back in. The apartment was empty, the floors needing 8


a sweep, but they had a service coming in tomorrow to take care of that. There really was nothing else to do here. "It ... It's so empty..." He'd never been so happy as he'd been here. Never. He'd fallen in love with Peter in this place. "It's only a place, Samuel." Peter gave him a squeeze, though, his lover understanding without him having to say anything. Jase gave him a hug. "We'll give you a moment. Meet us at the car." Harry nodded, arm sliding around Jason's waist as they headed out. "Right behind you, baby," murmured Harry. Peter turned Sammy so he was looking up into those green eyes again. "It is just a place, Samuel. The heart and soul of it, what made it a home, that's moving with us, is already gone." "I know. I know, it's just. This was where we became us, you know?" "Samuel. We won't stop being us just because we move. The place isn't who we are." His cheeks were stroked, his eyebrows traced, lips rubbed. "No one calls me Samuel." That had been the first thing he'd ever said to Peter. The first thing that had made those green eyes look at him like he was someone special. Peter's nostrils flared, his eyes heating. "That's because they don't know you." He moaned, just like he had so many nights ago. "No one pays attention anymore." "I do." Peter closed his eyes and took a breath, smiling gently. "You're wearing a lavender shirt with embroidery 9


around the sleeves. A pair of lawn trousers in a light beige. Matching socks and leather loafers. There's a ring on your middle right finger, and your wallet is one of those frou-frou numbers you tuck under your arm." It was exactly what he'd been wearing the night they met. "Peter." He reached up, hands framing the beloved face. "Love." Peter's eyes opened, smiled down at him. "Yes, Samuel. So much love. And that is moving to the new house with us. Come on. This place isn't ours anymore." Nodding, he went up on tip-toe and took a soft kiss. "Let's go home, Peter."

10


Chapter Two Jase wandered about, wine glass in hand as he checked Sammy and Laff's place out. "I can't believe it's just been a week—it took months before Harry and I were this settled in." Sammy beamed at him, hugged him quickly. Harry always said Sammy looked like some magical forest creature—all energy and eagerness and huge near-black eyes under a shock of wild curls. "I needed to have things put to rights. It's so big. It's been wonderful." "It's beautiful. I can see your touch everywhere I look." Laff sat on the couch, looking every inch the lord of the manor as he beamed proudly. "It's ours." "It is." Sammy grabbed the wine bottle, filling Laff's glass. "Harry, honey, would you like some more water?" "I'm good, Sammy." Jase wandered back to the two leather couches that faced each other and sat with Harry. "Did you get enough to eat, love?" Jason ate like a bird, but his body-building lover more than made up for him. "Mmmhmm." Harry drew him close, hand stroking along his side. "Sammy makes a good lasagna." "He does. But I liked his lavender bites better." He leaned in to whisper. "He insists it's an aphrodisiac." Harry snorted, warmed chocolate eyes rolling. "Like they need that." "Well, I had a half dozen of them, at least," he murmured, snuggling a little closer. Not that he and Harry needed that themselves. Still, it was fun to tease and play a little. 11


Harry's chuckle warmed him all the way through, and they leaned back on the sofa, both Sammy and Laff grinning at them. Harry arched an eyebrow, lips quirking. "What?" Laff stroked Sammy's hip as he answered. "We don't see you play enough. It's nice." "We play," Jase countered, hand on Harry's thigh. "We're fine." Harry patted his hand, fingers rough and thick against his. "Just because you two are pervs..." Sammy grabbed a throw pillow, beaning Harry right on the top of the head. Laff chuckled and took Sammy's hand, kissing his knuckles. "We're not pervs. Well ... maybe a little." Oh, that tickled him—he'd seen the room Laff had built, Sammy giving him a private tour earlier. "A sixty-nine is a little, Laff. I think the two of you are well beyond that." "I don't want to know..." Harry covered his ears, all dramatic and over the top, making them all laugh. He had to admit, he was a little turned on. Whether it was the discussion, Harry's lovely laughter, or Sammy's lavender bites, he had to cross his legs, and he dropped a casual hand in front of his lap. Laff didn't say anything, but those green eyes smiled at him and Jase fought not to blush. As Sammy wandered back to the kitchen to get another bottle of wine and dessert, Harry's hand continued to stroke along Jase's hip, easing him down. He turned his attention away from Laff, looking up at Harry. He found his lover's hand and squeezed it. He was a little tipsy and a lot happy, and there was no doubt something amazing coming for dessert. 12


"The two of you bask in each other's company better than any other couple I know," Laff said softly. "Yep. That's my Jason. Lizard boy." Harry winked and gave him a grin. He rolled his eyes and cuddled in. There wasn't anything wrong with basking. "Beats the alternative," he noted. "It does indeed." Laff shifted, his shirt riding up a little, tattoo peeking out. "I didn't know whether we wanted chocolate or maple sweets, so I brought both." Sammy was settling again. Jase and Sammy had met in college; the guy had been the most high-strung roommate in the history of the world. "I might have to indulge." Jase patted his stomach. Between all the wine and extra desserts, he'd have to work out with Harry this week to keep from getting love handles. Laff uncorked the wine, and poured for him and Sammy. "Is red right for maple as well as chocolate?" he asked. He'd seen a new dessert wine at the wine shop the other day; he'd have to get some for the next time they all got together. "It should be fine." Sammy tugged a cushion over and settled on the floor with a grin. "It's nice, having you two close, you know?" "It is. We're all so busy these days it seems to be the only way we can find time to get together." He bit into one of the maple sweets, moaning happily at the taste. Sammy handed a chocolate bit up to Laff, then licked his own fingers clean. Laff grabbed Sammy's wrist midlick and held it there a moment, mid-air. Then Laff brought it to his own mouth, eyes on Sammy's. It was an intense 13


moment, and Jase found himself practically breathless as the game of domination played out in front of them. "And they accuse us of basking." Harry's voice was fond, teasing. His lover didn't play games. Not at all. "Ah, but the difference is that we're practically newlyweds, compared to the two of you." Laff placed a last kiss on Sammy's knuckles. "You hear that, Harry? We're an old married couple." "Is this new news?" Harry winked at him again, fingers finding his ticklish spots. He laughed and wriggled, not sure if he was trying to get away or push closer. Oh, he was tipsy indeed—Harry's touches were making him want as if they weren't with company. He buried his face in Harry's chest, laughing and gasping. Harry laughed, hugged him tight, then frowned as the pager went off. "Man, I'm not on call tonight. Be right back, y'all." Then, poof, Harry was up and walking into the other room. Jason sighed and brought his legs up under him, settling in the place where Harry'd been, the residual warmth of his lover surrounding him. "He'll have to go if they've paged him when he's not on call." He just hoped it wasn't too bad. Sammy frowned, shook his head. "That's just not right, honey. He deserves days off. So do you." "They wouldn't have called him if it hadn't been really important."

14


Laff frowned, too. "So something awful's happened here in this neighborhood we've just moved to? I'm not sure I like the implications of that." "I don't know," Jase admitted, biting his lower lip and looking toward where Harry'd disappeared. Harry didn't need any more awful. They'd left the city because of... He shuddered, refusing to think about it. Everything was going to be fine. Just fine. "It isn't an easy thing, being a cop's partner, is it?" Laff's eyes were sympathetic, and Jase smiled and shook his head. He took a sip from his wine. He hated it when Harry's pager went off, even if he did try to play it down. "Well, how could it be, after ... you know." Sammy chewed on his bottom lip, cheeks flushing. "Sorry, Jase. I know we don't like to talk..." "False alarm." Harry wandered back in. "Rick and Tim had the call calendar backward." Relief flooded through Jason. "Oh. That's good." He patted the couch beside him, relieved Harry wasn't needed, and relieved he wasn't going to have to have that conversation with Sammy and Peter. Laff's eyes were knowing, their old friend far too observant. "Yeah." Harry sat back down, arm falling over his shoulders. "You okay, babe?" He nodded and snuggled in. "I am." He smiled at Sammy and Laff. "I am." 15


Sammy smiled back, handing Harry a plate of goodies. "Eat, then. Indulge!" Harry took one of each, nodded. "Sounds like a plan." Jase grabbed two mini chocolate pies, daring anyone to say anything. They were good, and he finished his wine, too, holding his glass out for more. Now that he was relaxed again, he was feeling just fine. Harry leaned back against the sofa, solid and warm and sure, eyes watching him. He couldn't help touching, his hand sliding on Harry's solid thigh, fingers drawing little circles. "So tell me something," murmured Laff. "For curiosity's sake. What's the kinkiest thing the two of you have ever done." Jase felt the heat flood his cheeks. "Become friends with the two of you. Absolutely," Harry said. Sammy laughed, clapping. "Harry, you are amazing!" Jase laughed softly. "That's cheating," murmured Laff. "Not really. You two are far out there. Me and Jason, we're simple." He nodded. "We just love each other." Laff shook his head. "No, Sammy and I just love each other, too. That's the emotion. I'm asking about physically. What you do to satisfy your bodies. I mean people who've been together as long as the two of you have must do something to keep things interesting." Harry chuckled. "And living together, touching? That's not interesting?" 16


"Ah, yes, it is. That's why I'm asking. How you touch. That's what I am interested in." Laff watched him and Harry, almost casually, the words spoken softly. "Don't be pervy, Laffy. That's none of your business." Harry didn't have any hesitation there, no real anger, just a firm no. Harry had developed some very, very strict rules when it came to sex. He stroked Harry's thigh. He would do anything for this man, to make Harry happy and at peace. "It's not pervy. We're friends. We talk about the things in our lives. And as we're all healthy males, that includes sex." Laff didn't seem the least put off by Harry. "Since when has Sammy been healthy, Laff?" Harry waggled his eyebrows at Sammy, the face making Sammy snort. Laff actually bristled a little before settling back, hand stroking down Sammy's back. So protective and caring. Jase couldn't understand all the things they did together, but the love between them was unmistakable. Sammy leaned over, cheek on Laff's knee. "We ought to go to the movies one night, you know? Or bowling. Do you still bowl, Jase?" "I do." He grinned. "We could join the league. Call ourselves the Gay Men's Bowlers." Laff looked vaguely horrified. "Only if Master Stud over there wears a pink bowling shirt." Oh, Harry was in a fine mood. "I believe the entire team wears matching shirts." Laff's mouth twitched. "I'm game if you are, Harry." 17


Harry didn't even hesitate. "Oh, now. I am so man enough to wear pink." "Then we're on." Jason started giggling, just imagining the four of them all in pink shirts. Harry nodded, hands sliding down his back, rubbing in lazy circles. Loving on him. "You'll have to arrange it, Sammy. I'll order the shirts. If memory serves me, our names should be embroidered on the shirt fronts, the team name on the back, yes?" Jason nodded at Peter's words, not quite believing Laff really wanted to bowl. "Is Gay Men's Bowlers what we want on them?" "We could just be Queers with Pins." Harry ducked another pillow, laughing harder. "How about Guys with Balls?" Jase suggested, getting into the spirit of things. "Or we could go a whole other way and do something like Four Friends." Harry nodded, chuckled. "I could go for that." Laff grinned. "That's it then. Four Friends. I imagine the pink will make enough of a statement itself." He winked and tapped Sammy on the shoulder. "A nice, screaming pink, Samuel. If we can't win through our prowess, we can blind the competition with our shirts." "Yes, Peter. Something truly obscene." Sammy looked at Laff like there wasn't anyone else on earth. Anywhere. Of course, Laff looked back the same way. "Exactly, love." 18


Jase looked up at Harry. "Truly obscene—you still in, love?" "You know it. There's nothing so manly as pink bowling shirts." He laughed, head lolling back against his lover's chest. Harry's lips looked tasty, and Jase would bet they'd go great with the wine. He reached up, fingers sliding along them. Harry kissed his fingertips, lips so soft. "You about ready to go home, babe? Let me pour you into bed?" "Only if you pour yourself into me," he murmured, not caring just now that they had an audience. "Listen to you." Harry chuckled, kissed his forehead. "Come on, Jase. Tell our friends goodnight." "Goodnight, our friends," he said, laughing softly and grinning over at Laff and Sammy. "It's been a wonderful evening. You'll have to come to ours next time." "Yeah. We'll grill burgers, grunt at the TV like real men." Harry helped him up, got him moving toward the door. Giggling, he waved at Laff and Sammy, the tall top coming to kiss his cheek and see them out. Harry helped him into the car, hugging Laff and patting Sammy's ass before sliding in. "Did you have a good time, babe?" "Mmm ... I did." He turned in his seat so he could watch Harry. "You?" "I did. I always enjoy playing with them." They headed down the street, their house close enough to throw a stone at, really, as the crow flew. 19


"Do you have to be at work early tomorrow?" he asked. He wanted to make love when they got home. "No, babe. It's the start of my weekend." Harry winked. "You still have Sundays off, right, teach?" "I do." He reached over and touched Harry's thigh, just a brief touch as they pulled into their drive. "So we have an all clear tonight." "Yes. Yes, babe." Harry nodded, hand cupping his jaw, lifting his face for a long, slow kiss. His eyes closed and he sank into the kiss, loving the taste of Harry's mouth, the heat and strength of the hand on his face. Harry kissed him until he was breathless, then that heat disappeared from beside him. "Inside, Jase." He nodded and took a moment to compose himself. Between the wine and the kisses, he felt quite dizzy and breathless. Then he hurried in after Harry, pressing close as soon as the door closed behind them. Harry locked the door, checked the alarms, and looked through the main floor quickly. "All clear, babe. Upstairs." He stopped Harry a moment to give him a quick kiss. "Thank you, love." Taking Harry's hand in his, he tugged his lover up the stairs. Their bedroom was lit by the moonlight, the rumpled bed welcoming them. Harry got him undressed, eased him down before unstrapping the concealed holster and setting it in the bedside table.

20


He rubbed against the bed, feeling airy and decadent, feeling cared for and loved. He reached out. "Come to bed. It's cold without you." Harry reached for the curtain, the room going dark, before that heavy body covered his. "Love you, Jase." "Oh, yes, Harry. I love you, too." His hands slid over Harry's skin, exploring the body he knew so well. There were scars—a gunshot wound here, a knife wound there. Harry's lips moved down his throat, heading toward his nipples, his belly. He moved beneath Harry's mouth, body pushing up into the wet touches, eager for the attention, his prick already hard and ready for Harry. Harry moaned, lips heading for his cock, the barest hint of stubble rasping the tip. "Yes, please. Please." The wine had him floating, Harry's ministrations sending him flying. "Right here." Harry's lips wrapped around him, gentle like being eased into a hot tub. So good. So big. "Yes..." His head dropped back onto the pillow, his fingers curling into the sheets. Harry's head bobbed, lips working up and down, up and down, the waves of pleasure crashing over him. His hips started moving, pushing his cock deeper into Harry's mouth. Harry took him, pulling and sucking, giving him so much, letting him in deep. "My love..." His toes began to tingle, a wave of pleasure flowing over him. "Mmmhmm." Harry's hand cupped his balls, rolled them gently. 21


"Harry!" He shouted his lover's name, and his whole body went tight, seed spilling from him. Harry took him in, mouth gentling, easing him down into sleep. He reached for his lover, hand petting warm skin as everything faded away.

22


Chapter Three Peter left work early, trusting that Anna would be able to close up without him. He wanted to make sure Samuel was okay. His lover was doing well with the move, on the surface, but Peter knew better than to trust the surface. He parked behind Samuel's little blue Beamer and headed in, admiring the walk, the front door. They'd snapped the place up at a great price from a newly divorced man headed to a new job in Alaska or something. They'd done very well for themselves. And Samuel had such a good eye for design; their home could easily double as a showcase for Samuel's talents. "Samuel," he called out, leaving his keys in the glass bowl on the little table by the door. He didn't get an answer, so he followed his instincts, heading to the back deck where Samuel was on the phone, smoking where no one could see, fingers rubbing his forehead. "...I do understand, but you can't just change things at the drop of a hat. If you're going to alter your business practices, I should know!" He moved silently, not interrupting Samuel's call, but taking the cigarette from his lover's fingers and putting it out against the deck railing. He blew Samuel a kiss and waited for the call to come to an end. Those near-black eyes stared at him, glittering, halfashamed to be caught smoking, but more than that, Samuel was relieved. Relieved that he paid attention, relieved that he was there to help. 23


The call came to an end, Samuel clicking off. "You're early." "You needed me here more than they needed me at the stores." He opened his arms. "Oh." Samuel hurried over, burrowing into his arms, hugging hard. "It's good to see you." He kissed the top of Samuel's head, and held on, giving Samuel his strength. "Your phone call sounded like trouble." "Same old shit." The curse sounded wrong from his lover. Coarse. "Dave's threatening to charge me almost double." He tilted Samuel's head and looked into the dark eyes. "You don't need to swear, Samuel. Not when you're talking to me." He gave Samuel a soft kiss on the lips to reinforce his words. "Do you have a contract with Dave?" "No. No, Peter." "Then tell him you'll go to someone else, and if he calls you on it, you find someone else. If he backs down, you insist on putting a contract in place so he can't try to screw you again." He grinned evilly. "Or you could give me his address and I'll go over there and break his legs." "Oh, that's a nice thought." Samuel smiled at him, for him, leaning into his body. "Welcome home, love." "Mmm ... it is home, isn't it? You've done a wonderful job, Samuel." "You like it? It's so much bigger, I worry that it's sparse..." "I love it. And it's a work in progress, yes? Oh, I have a piece that came in yesterday and I made Anna put aside. You should come in and see if you want it for the house." He 24


stroked Samuel's back, debating on whether they should have supper first or go straight to the playroom he'd built. "Oh? Excellent. I have to come into the city tomorrow to meet with that awful old man with the grabby hands." Peter growled a little. "Tell him to keep his hands off my property, Samuel." They would go straight to the playroom. They could eat later. "He never listens. He's just weird and touchy..." Samuel's attention was flitting about, Peter could tell. One hand patted pockets looking for cigarettes that had been given up over a year ago, eyes caught by every bird, every passing car. "Well, put him out of your mind. We're going to go upstairs." They hadn't used the room yet; they'd been busy settling in. "Up..." Samuel blinked over, staring. "You want to. I mean. We're going to..." He chuckled, and took Samuel's hand. "Yes, Samuel. We're going to work everything but you and me out of your mind." "It feels like it's been forever." Samuel followed closely, fingers twining with his. "It has been. We've both been busy with packing and unpacking." He stopped them at the door. "I'm sorry." "Don't be. We have lives, huh?" Samuel smiled at him, leaning up for a kiss. "I love you, Peter." "And I love you, Samuel." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting go of everything but this man in front of him. "Now is the time if you want to change your safeword." 25


"No, sir. Peaches is fine. Did you remember to lock the front door? Should I turn the phones off?" "Yes. And no need. There's no phone in the room." He leaned in to whisper into Samuel's ear. "And we won't hear them—the room is sound proof." "Sound ... Oh. Oh, Peter. You're too good for me. Did you do the work yourself?" "With my own two hands." It wouldn't have been theirs if he hadn't. He opened the door to the room. "For you." Samuel's eyes didn't leave his, and he received a soft, slow kiss. "Thank you, sir." "You are welcome. And you deserve it." He ushered his lover in and hit the light switch. Track lighting hidden throughout the room lit the place up with a soft light. He let Samuel look around, but headed over to the padded bench himself. It was the perfect height; when Samuel bent over it, that lovely ass would be right there for his cock. The room was private and perfect, dark and simple, nothing to distract his lover. "You have another minute to look around and then you'll come here and lean over the bench." There were cuffs to attach Samuel's wrists and ankles to the feet of the bench. "It's beautiful, Peter. It truly is..." Samuel looked stunned, so pleased. It was worth every nail he'd hammered, every brush of paint to see that look on Samuel's face. "Just like you." Samuel almost shook his head, but caught himself. Of all the lessons they'd learned together, that one was the hardest. 26


"Your minute is up." He patted the bench, eager to take Samuel out of himself for awhile. "Do ... do you want me to undress?" Samuel came to him, eager, excited. Wanton. "Only if you like the outfit." "You bought it for me." Samuel stripped quickly, carefully, exposing the compact, lean body, the sweet little nipples and the long, pierced cock. Humming appreciatively, he reached out and stroked Samuel from neck to belly to cock, finger sliding into the ring and tugging gently. "You are more beautiful than any clothes." "You flatter me." "No. I say it the way I see it." He let go of Samuel's cock. "Turn around and bend over the bench. You need to be reminded who you are." "Yes, sir." Samuel trusted him, that had been proven years ago, but it still gave Peter a rush when Samuel bent. He wouldn't cuff Samuel today. What Samuel needed was to submit and take it from sheer will. He rubbed his hand over Samuel's ass and then let his hand fly, slapping the pale cheek hard. "Peter!" Samuel's cry rang out, surprised. "Fuck." "Oh, yes. We will. I promise. But first I'm heating your ass. Getting it nice and red." He slapped it again with his open hand. He had every hitting implement known to man in one of the recessed cupboards, but he needed flesh on flesh tonight. Samuel groaned, spreading for him, shifting. Accepting. 27


"Yes," he murmured, his prick pushing against his slacks. He slapped Samuel's ass again and walked around so his lover could see him as he started to strip. "Love." Samuel's eyes were burning, staring into him. He nodded, undoing the cuffs on his shirt. "Yes, Samuel. I love you, too." He undressed slowly, controlled and calm, even as his heart beat a rapid tattoo, each beat echoed in his cock, silently shouting Samuel! Now! Want! Samuel's lips were open, parted, begging for him. He shrugged out of his shirt and folded it carefully, setting it down on top of Samuel's clothes. Then he started on his trousers. "Would you like a taste, Samuel?" "Yes, sir. Yes, please." Sweet little cockhound. "You aren't allowed to come," he warned as he slid his pants off and stepped out of them and his shoes. More neat folding, the seemingly calm movements taking more effort than anyone would guess. Samuel moaned, nodded. Images of their first meeting flooding him, Samuel so defiant, so shaken, still bruised from a fight. It drew an answering moan from him, and he had to stop and take a deep breath, his control precarious—it had been far too long since they had last done this. The blowjob was a good idea, it would calm him and let him focus on Samuel's needs once he'd come. He stepped up to Samuel, just let his prick point eagerly at Samuel's mouth. Standing there, he made them both wait, both anticipate. Samuel moaned, stretching for him, reaching for him with that sweet mouth. 28


"Patience," he murmured even as he took that step forward that brought his cock right to Samuel's mouth. With a groan, he fed his erection between Samuel's lips. The suction would have made a lesser man buck; as it was, it spoke of Samuel's lack of control that the man didn't wait, didn't listen for the command to suck. He forced himself to take a step back, dragging his prick out of Samuel's mouth. "You do that when I say so." Then he stepped forward again, growling out the command before Samuel had a chance to even blink. "Suck me." Samuel nodded, mouth voracious and needy on him, so hungry, so wanton. He'd not been paying his Samuel enough attention. The move had kept him distracted and had increased Samuel's need. No matter, they were here now and would visit this room often. And then he didn't think about anything else but how Samuel's tongue made him shudder, and how Samuel's suction nearly had the top of his head blowing off. Moaning, he wrapped his hands in Samuel's hair, hips rocking. Samuel took him down to the root, a dull flush crawling up along the lean spine, Samuel's hips rocking. "No coming," he reminded Samuel, the words ground out between groans. He thrust harder, pushing into Samuel's throat again and again as his orgasm gathered quickly in his balls. Samuel looked up at him, pleading, needing him, throat squeezing around the tip of his prick.

29


"Love!" He cried out, his hips snapping hard as he came; the orgasm ran from his toes to his scalp and poured out of his cock into Samuel's eager mouth. Samuel didn't miss a drop, lips and tongue cleaning him, hands white-knuckled where they were wrapped around the legs of the bench. Peter's fingers eased their hold on Samuel's hair, turning to stroke across his lover's scalp. He caressed Samuel's cheeks as well, humming as the pleasure of his orgasm settled in his blood, in his bones. "So good, love. Thank you." Samuel hummed and pushed into his caress, eyes closing as Peter's prick slipped free. He basked in it for a moment, in the warm, wonderful lassitude. Then he bent and kissed Samuel, the taste of his own come flavoring Samuel's mouth. Samuel moaned for him, sounds pushing into his lips, over and over, making sweet promises. He lingered, tasting every corner of Samuel's mouth, sharing the intimacy with his lover. Kisses were different in a scene, there was an electricity hidden within each one, the knowledge of where they were and what they would be doing or had just done. He finally pulled away, standing loose and easy in front of Samuel, his control returned. He was ready to give Samuel his full attention. "Look at my hand." He held it up so Samuel could see, turned it this way and that. "Smell it. Taste it," he ordered, pressing his palm to Samuel's lips. Samuel moaned, tongue sliding over his palm, his fingers, adoring him. Loving him. 30


He began to talk, voice low, letting his hunger for this show. "I'm going to hit you with my hand today. No whips, no paddles, no cane. Just my hand. Flesh on flesh. My palm and fingers hitting your ass, the tops of your thighs, until your skin is rosy red and you're begging for my cock in your ass." "I ... I'd beg now, sir, for you." "I know, love, but you need this first. We both need this first." He moved around Samuel, hand sliding on the warm, smooth skin. "You may come during this as you need to." He wouldn't ask Samuel to find the control not to come without a ring, not without them being back in practice. "Thank you. Thank you, sir." Samuel was shaking, shuddering with pure anticipation. It was stunning, how much Samuel needed this, humbling. He slid his hand over one ass cheek and then let it fly, slapping Samuel's ass and leaving a perfect handprint in red. Samuel bucked, went up on tiptoe. "Oh!" "Mmm ... that's it. Feel it. Feel every inch where our skin meets." He slapped again, and then again, reddening the same ass cheek each time. "Peter. Peter, love." Samuel jerked, pulling away as best he could. "Right here." He slapped the same ass cheek again and then began on the other one, switching hands so he could go longer. "Burns..." Samuel's hips started rocking, shifting, almost fucking the bench. 31


"I know. Focus on that. Focus on the points where we meet." He slapped the top of Samuel's right thigh and then the left. "Meet..." Samuel's head tossed, low sobbing groans filling the air. "Yes. Like right here." He hit Samuel's ass again and again, thickly laying down the smacks. "I need. Please. Please, love." Samuel jerked, growling. "I fucking need." "Language! I'm giving you what you need." He switched hands again, his right palm burning, his prick hard again. "Yes!" His fingertips knocked against Samuel's crack, the scent of come sudden and sharp on the air. Groaning, Peter continued to hit, catching Samuel's balls with one stroke and then doing it again. Samuel relaxed, muscles easing as he continued spanking, as the sharp slaps turned to a bone-deep warmth for his lover. He kept it up until both his palms were burning, until he was biting his lip to keep from screaming whenever he hit. Samuel's ass and the top of his thighs were a dark red, unbelievable heat emanating from Samuel's skin. Samuel looked up at him, cheeks streaked with tears. "Please. Please, sir. I need you." He wiped the tears away and gave Samuel a smile. "I need you, too." He grabbed the lube off the shelf and slicked up his fingers, rubbing them over Samuel's hole. Hot enough to burn, that sweet hole clenched, shifting under his touch. 32


"Mmm ... let me in, love." He pushed against Samuel's hole with two fingers, the tight muscles blooming suddenly and letting him in. "Yes." Samuel would let him in, let him take anything. He worked quickly, scissoring his fingers apart and spreading Samuel for his cock. He could feel the heat just pouring off Samuel's body and wanted in there. Now. "Please. Please, Peter. Fill me." "Yes." His fingers came out, running over his prick and slicking it up. Then he pushed the head into Samuel, groaning at the tightness. Samuel pressed back, asking for more, for him. Samuel's ass was hot as hell against his thighs, skin on fire. He moved slowly forward, sinking inch by inch into Samuel's body. Groaning, he wrapped his hands around Samuel's hips and tilted him just slightly, going deep. "Love. Love you." The words poured from Samuel, filling the air. "I know." He stroked Samuel's back, gentling his lover slightly, bringing them both to a point where they could move forward together. Then he grabbed hold of Samuel's hips once again and began to thrust, pulling Samuel back hard against his hips each time he thrust. "Mmm." Samuel moaned, relaxed and eager, moving back against him again and again. Every time his hip bones hit Samuel's ass it went white for a moment before the deep red flooded back into the abused 33


flesh. So hot. So sexy. He rode Samuel hard and well, falling into a rhythm he could keep up for ages. "Peter. Peter, I'm dizzy. Can I lean up?" He slid out of Samuel and manhandled his lover to a standing position, practically dragging Samuel over to the big bed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, love." Samuel had a look of panic for a moment, of shame. "I just ... I got lightheaded." "Sh. I'm not angry." He bent Samuel over the edge of the bed and pushed back in. Samuel met his thrust, rocking back into his body. He soon found their rhythm again, sinking into Samuel over and over. He felt it, when they found their groove, Samuel breathing with him, moving for him. This he could lose himself in, and he did, their bodies joined and moving together, the slapping of their flesh like music. Samuel's body held him close, dragged against his skin. He slid his hand around Samuel's body, finding his lover's cock. Hard and hot, it jumped against his palm and he wrapped his fingers around it, pumping. "Love." Samuel groaned the word, cock full for him, leaking on his fingers. "I want you to come for me. I want to feel you come on my cock, Samuel." "Yes. Yes, sir. At your ... your word, love." Oh, yes. Yes. "Now, love. Now." Samuel cried out, body tightening almost painfully around Peter's cock as heat spread over his fingers. He rode it out, 34


and then jerked into Samuel one more time, filling his lover with his seed. Samuel whimpered, panting beneath him. "Thank you. Thank you, love." He let Samuel take his weight, pressing his lover into the mattress. "Thank you, love. You were wonderful." "Yours." Samuel sighed, the sound utterly satisfied, happy. Home. "Oh, yes." He slid out of Samuel and climbed onto the bed, taking his lover up with him. "Mine," he said, arms drawing Samuel in. "Yes." Samuel wiped his cheeks, smiled at him. "Not going to be able to sit for days without thinking of you." "Good." He reached down and stroked his fingers across Samuel's ass, the heat wonderful. Samuel shuddered, face lifting for a kiss. "Yes." "I love you," he murmured against Samuel's lips, turning the words into a caress and then a deep kiss. Samuel's lips tasted like him and tears. Perfect.

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Chapter Four Harry walked into the bowling alley an hour late, one arm bandaged up, hungry and growly and ready to just shoot someone. Anyone would work. He'd called ahead, sent Travis Holley over to bowl for him, so if anyone—anyone—bitched, he was going to have a conniption. Well, if policemen had conniptions. Jason saw him first, his lover coming flying over to fuss over him. "Harry! Oh, love, are you all right?" "I'm fine. Eight stitches. No one died. Did you win?" "Eight stitches!" Jason shook his head, fingers sliding over Harry's arm, warm and gentle along the edge of the BandAid. Laff came along, nodding at his arm. "Can you play with that? We played and lost without you, but we wanted to play all four of us, just for fun." "Of course I can. Did you send Travis home to his wife?" He might have to eat a few burgers first, but he could bowl. He'd be damned if a drunk with a pocketknife would destroy bowling night. "Did they give you good drugs, Harry? That's got to burn." Goddamn, Sammy was fluttering already. "I'm fine." "I brought your shirt," Jason told him, pulling the bright pink shirt out of his bowling bag. He could see the worry in his lover's eyes, Sammy's fluttering catching. "Do you need help with it?" 36


"Babe." He stared at Jase, then bit back his growl. Jason wasn't trying to irritate him. "Yeah, come into the bathroom, give me a hand." Laff chuckled. "Don't be too long." Jase slapped Laff in the arm. "We'll be five minutes. Come on, Harry, let's get you tarted up like the rest of us." "Get me a Coke, man?" He smiled at Laff as they headed toward the bathroom with his arm throbbing away. "Did they give you anything for the pain?" Jase asked as they went into the bathroom, fingers working on his buttons. He shrugged, tossed over the bottle. He didn't take pain pills. Jase stopped fussing at his shirt to catch them and frowned. "Oh, these are pretty strong, Harry. The pain must be really bad." Jase popped open the bottle and shook out two pills onto one palm, holding them out to him. "I don't need them." His arm was burning like it was on fucking fire. Seriously. "Harry..." Jase frowned at him and pushed the pills at him. "You don't need to be macho for me. You'll still be my stud, even if you've taken a few pills to help with the pain." "That's not the issue, babe. You know that." He wasn't worried about being a stud. He never did. Jase sighed and nodded, slipping the pills back into the bottle. "How about something not so strong. Something over the counter." "If I do, will you quit worrying?" He stepped closer, meeting Jase's eyes. "Hey, you going to tell me you love me, babe?" 37


"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry. I was so focused on your arm I forgot about everything else." Jase leaned up and kissed him, tongue sliding across his lips and dipping in for a moment. "Hey. I love you, Harry." "Mmm. Hey. Sorry I was late." "You're mostly okay, though, so you're forgiven." Jase smiled and stepped back as the door swung open. "Okay, let's get this shirt on—I've got something you can take in my bag." "You're good to me." The stitches pulled as he stretched, got his spare shirt off. The guy who'd come in gave them a wide berth and went into a stall instead of to one of the urinals, but Jase ignored the guy, helping Harry get on the bowling shirt so he didn't have to move his arm too much. "I am good to you." His lover's eyes twinkled up at him, a smile twitching at the corner of Jase's mouth. "Yep." Harry leaned down, just touching their foreheads together. "I couldn't ask for better." Jase's fingers slid over his side. "Me either." They stayed like that a moment, just looking into each other's eyes and then Jase grinned and patted his belly before doing up his buttons. "You know, out of the four of us, you're the one who actually looks really good in this color." "Yeah?" He preened a little, cheeks pinking. "Shit, babe. You still get to me." Jase just beamed at him. "Me? Good." Going up on his tiptoes, Jase leaned against him and pressed their lips together in a kiss. 38


The guy in the stall came out and made a noise, and Jase just ignored him. Harry, on the other hand, wasn't ever going to ignore another motherfucker again and stared the man down, watching every step. Never again. A curl of the lips and a shake of the head was all this guy had in him, and he gave them as wide a berth as the space allowed, not even bothering to wash his hands as he took off out of the bathroom. Jase tilted his head. "You sure you're okay, love?" "Yeah. I'm fine." He couldn't help the growl, the way his muscles tensed a little. "Let's go play." Jase looked for a moment like he was going to say something, but then Jase gave him a hug and took his hand, leading him back out to their pink-shirted partners. "Ah, there you two are—we were going to send a search party. Oh, my, Harry, you are man enough to pull off pink." Laff chuckled and pointed to lane four. "We're right over here." "Fuck you, Laffy." Three beers and a glass of Coke were at the table, along with bowling shoes in a thirteen and a huge burger with fries. "Oh, Sammy. You're a doll." "You looked hungry, honey. Sit. Eat." Jase patted his shoulder and then gave Sammy a hug. "We've already decided the order, Harry, you're going last. I'm not sure that it works like it does in baseball, but we figured you'd do well in 'clean-up.'" "I'm leading us off. Then Sammy, then Jase." Laff shook his head. "This is actually more fun than I was expecting." 39


He chuckled and nodded, relaxing a little, taking two of the little pills Jason gave him. "Sorry I was late, guys. I had to save the world from schizophrenic old men." Schizophrenic old men with knives who attacked a mannequin at Ginny's Boutique. Christ. "Your job is never dull, is it?" Laff stole several of his French fries, and Jase slapped the man's hand. "Nobody steals off Harry's plate. Unless they're me," Jase added, snagging a few fries for himself. Possessive little ass. Harry adored him. "That's my babe. Go bowl the first set, Laffy." Laff raised an eyebrow at him and Jase both, then popped the fries in his mouth and went for a ball. "These are heavier than I was expecting. Bigger, too. I guess any game with such big balls can't be all bad." Laff winked back at them. "What do you know about big balls, Laffy?" Harry winked at Sammy. "Your boy here isn't flooded with testosterone." "Fuck you, Harry," Sammy said. "Oh, ho! You do remember how to curse! I can remember way back when that was all you did." Back before Sammy found Laffy and got his shit together, before he could handle the teasing and joking. "I heard that," said Laff. Then he took his shot, sending the ball careening into the gutter. "Oops," said Jase, giggling a little. Sammy shifted, glaring over. "I will kick your ass if I get busted for that, Muscle Man." 40


"I'll love to see you try, you little queen." God, Sammy was the most fun. "What you're going to get busted for, Samuel, is the cursing." Laff grabbed another ball and started lining it up. He paused just before throwing. "Though I might pay good money to watch you kick his ass." Sammy's eyes went wide and Harry hooted, leaning back a little, just a touch woozy from adrenaline and pain. "Shit, Laffy, you got great ears." "I do. They keep Samuel on his toes." Laff took his shot, managing to keep the ball on the lane this time and taking out half the pins. Jase cheered and filled out the bowling form, and then stole a couple more fries. "Eat your burger, Harry." "Mmmhmm." He took a few bites, watching Sammy bowl. It was weird; the guy was actually graceful as hell and a damned good bowler. Jase clapped for him, writing down the score and stealing yet another fry before going up to take his turn. "What'll you give me if I make a strike?" Jase asked. "A spanking," threw out Laff. Jase's cheeks went red. "Not fucking likely. I'll buy you a beer, babe." "Oh, I'll take that action," Jase told him, smiling brightly. There was a sexy little wiggle in Jase's ass as he lined his shot up, and it must have worked, too, because his ball went right up the middle and knocked down all the pins. Jase pumped his arms in the air. 41


Harry clapped, grinning ear-to-ear. "That's the way!" Fuck, Jase was a good looking man, solid and happy, all-male and just classy as fuck. "You owe me a beer, love." Grinning wide enough to beat the band, Jase came back to sit next to him. Laff checked out Jase's ass as he walked by. "You ever change your mind about that spanking, Jase, just let me know." "It'd be the last thing you ever hit, man," Harry said. The words came out harsher than he intended, and Harry stopped, shaking his head. Peter wasn't the fucking bad guys. Peter was his goddamn best friend. "Shit, Laffy. Ignore me. It's been a hard day, yeah?" Laff nodded. "No harm, no foul. You both know I've always thought Jase has a fine, fine ass on him, and I might have pushed a little on that one." He slapped Laff on the back, nodding, settling down. Laffy walked to pick out a ball with him; the man always knew when he needed to talk. "Man, it was nasty today, and when he cut me, I damn near hauled off and hit him." "How bad is that arm really?" "Eight stitches on the outside, six in the muscle. It hurts like a son of a bitch." He tested a ball. That one would work. "And you won't take anything for it." Laff knew him well enough to know that, too. "We could wrap this up, Harry. Take the boys out for coffee and cake." "We'll finish the game, then we could." He met Laff's eyes, tried to grin. "He was old and nuts, but, damn, you know?" 42


"I know, honey. Besides, it's the kooks you have to watch out for. Tell me now, how often does Jase bring up retirement?" "Twenty-seven times a day? Twenty-eight?" He shrugged, trying not to wince. Like they could survive on a substitute's salary. "Only that many? He worries about you, especially when you come home with injuries." Laff took the ball away from him and handed over another. "Try this one instead." "Yeah?" He took the ball, hefted it. Yeah. That was better. "He'd hate having me underfoot, and I'm good at my job." "You'd mess up his flowerbeds or something," Laff suggested with a grin before headed back to the seats at not quite a run. He snorted. That was it. "Sammy, do me a favor and knock the shit out of that man for me?" Sammy's dark eyes went wide. "I don't think so." "Why not? You're already in the dog house for the 'fuck,' this'll just make it better." "Oh, just stop it." Sammy was damn near vibrating. Laff sat down next to Sammy, arm going around his shoulders. "We don't do animal play, though I suppose we could always try it. If we had a doghouse." Jase damn near choked on his mouthful of beer. Sammy stared at Laff, eyes wide. "I don't think so. Go throw your ball, Harrison, before I shove it up your ass." "Sammy, I adore you, but that is so far off limits, it's not even funny." He went to bowl his frame, knowing that his 43


tone was too sharp for the situation and just not able to help it. He didn't bowl particularly well, but he didn't gutterball it either, and by the time he came back Jase was in full protective mode, rubbing his shoulders. "Is your arm okay for this, love? Everyone'll understand if you want to call it a night." "I'm fine, babe." He looked over at Sammy, who'd started chewing on his bottom lip, making it bloody. "Besides, Sammy is good. We gotta watch that form. Laffy suggested cake and coffee after, sound good?" "Yeah. Yeah, if you want..." Sammy said. Jesus, Sammy was high-maintenance. "Oh, that would be great. There's that new place on High Street that had the most delicious looking custard cakes..." Jase got a faraway look in his eyes, and he made a little moany noise. His lover, on the other hand, wasn't high maintenance at all. Jase just threw himself into the good things. "Excellent." Laff tousled Sammy's hair as he got up to play his frame. Then he leaned in and whispered something into Sammy's ear. The tight, pinched look eased, Sammy turning to answer. Laffy was good for the man, Harry could admit that. Peter was one hell of a good friend, too. Jase kept rubbing his shoulders, not very hard, not a real massage, more just touching him as they watched Laff bowl a half decent frame and Sammy play another fantastic round, and they all settled into the game. 44


"We could get sparkly pink bowling shoes to go with the shirts if we really are going to make this a regular thing," Jase suggested as they stood at the counter to hand in their shoes. "And balls to match, too." "I am going to draw the line at pink, sparkly shoes, babe. That's tacky." He waited for his laugh. He wasn't disappointed, Laff's deeper tones mixed in with Sammy and Jase's higher pitched laughs. Jase slipped under his arm, cuddling against him as they wandered out into the night. "Did someone drop you off, or did you drive?" Jase asked, squeezing his waist. "Will dropped me off. They're cleaning up my car." He let himself lean a little. "You gonna give me a ride, babe?" "I am." Jase's voice dropped to a whisper. "If you'll give me one later." "I might be able to manage." He knew Jason, balls to bones. His lover needed to touch, to make sure he was whole and okay. To fuss over the stitches and make them both come. "We should eat our cake fast," Jase suggested, the grin on his face sudden and impish. "You think? Laffy will think we're up to something." "Only if we change our minds and don't have cake at all. Otherwise he'll just think we're a pair of old fuddy duddies who need to go to bed early." "Mmm. That's us. Two old fuddy duddies." As opposed to Laff and Sammy, the kinky weirdos. "I guess I don't mind being a duddy if I get to be fuddy with you." Jase giggled at him. 45


"What are the two of you talking about?" Laff asked, giving them an odd look. "About being old married couples and cake." "Sammy and I aren't old." Laff winked. "But we do like cake." "I'm old." He winked back. "You're not either, honey." Sammy grinned at him. "You used to be the youngest person we knew." "Yeah, well, things change sometimes, don't they? Mileage and all that." Jase stopped as they got to the car, and leaned into him. "Well, you're never too old to have cake." "You're absolutely right." Laff gave them an apologetic look. "But maybe we can pass tonight? I hate to be rude, but ... well." Laff looked down into Sammy's eyes. "We have stuff to take care of at home." Oh, thank God. "Yeah? Because we could meet for brunch Saturday, something slow and easy." And he could take his babe home. "Yeah, that would be great." Laff reached out to shake his hand while Jase and Sammy hugged, both of them managing to look unabashedly eager to get home. "Cool. Night, man. Have a good one." Jase all but dragged him to the car, eagerness obvious and sweet. The passenger door was opened for him. "I'm okay, babe." He could say it and say it, but he knew Jason needed to know it.

46


Jase nodded, leaning over him to do up his belt. He got a smile when Jase straightened back up. "I know." He could hear the apology in the words. "Take me home." There they could be themselves, relax. Just let go a little. Hell, maybe he could sleep.

47


Chapter Five "He looks really stressed out, Peter, and he snarled at me." Sammy fastened his seatbelt, teeth working the inside of his bottom lip. "I mean, ever since Harry got ... hurt ... He's been different." Poor Harry. Poor Jason. It wasn't fair. Peter reached over and ran a finger along his bottom lip. Peter didn't say a word, but the order to stop was clear. Then he sat back and started the car. "A thing like that changes a man, Samuel." "I know. I know and ... It's just wrong, love." Harry and Jason had survived, so well. They'd managed to stay together; Jason had brought Harry back to life. Even Peter had been part of it, talking Harry from a dangerous brink, but... It just wasn't fair. Peter's hand landed on his thigh, heavy and good, solid. There. "It is wrong. But we can't make it unhappen. Not unless you've found a time machine." "Well, you know, there's that secret machine I'm building in the basement." Peter shot him a look and then laughed, hand squeezing his thigh. "You let me know when you get it done and we'll go back and make things right." "Okay." Sammy chuckled, letting it go as best he could. "Did you enjoy bowling, love? Did you have fun?" He had forgotten how much he liked it, honestly. He hadn't bowled since he was a kid. 48


"Surprisingly, yes I did." Peter chuckled and turned onto High Street. "It was far more fun than I was expecting. Of course, that might have had something to do with the company." "We do all have fun together, don't we?" Sammy watched the neon lights fade into big old houses. "We do." Laff pulled up at a stop sign and shot him a heated look. "Not as much fun as just the two of us have together." A slow burn started building in his belly. "No, love. Not as much fun as we have." He could see the smile on Peter's face, knew his lover had something planned. They turned onto their street. "It's starting to seem like our house, isn't it?" The flowers were in full bloom, the late summer heat not wearing on them yet. "It is," Peter agreed, turning into their driveway and shutting off the engine. He sat a moment, looking at the house. "It's beginning to feel like us." Peter turned and smiled at him, fingers undoing his seat belt. "Especially our special room." He reached out. "It's ... that's a special room, love." "What we do there is what makes it special. You make it special." Peter leaned in and took a hard kiss. "You'll make it special tonight." "You." He blinked, distracted, lost in those kisses. "I love you." "I love you, too. I'm going to show you just how much." Peter pressed their mouths together again and then climbed 49


out, heading toward the front door and offering a mighty fine view. Sammy followed, stopping to pull a weed or two and encourage a spider to build her web somewhere else. When he got in, Peter was coming out of the kitchen with a pair of open beer bottles dangling from his fingers. "We'll start in the living room, sit and talk a bit, have a beer." "Okay." He followed easily, putting the mail in the basket and turning on a fan. Trying to make things comfortable. Peter sat in the big armchair they'd only just bought and patted his legs. "Sit with me." It was, after all, why they'd bought this specific chair. Oh, it was nice to settle in, lean into Peter's warmth, and just be for a second. "Hey." Peter smiled and nuzzled into his neck, lips and breath warm on his skin. Sammy just melted, happy to stay right here, being loved on. Forever. Peter knocked their beer bottles together. "To us." "To us?" He grinned, took a drink. "Is this a special occasion, Peter?" After taking a drink of his own, Peter looked at him, eyes seeing right into him. "Anytime I spend with you is a special occasion, Samuel." His cheeks blazed and he shifted, unable to look away. And Peter held his gaze, refusing to let him break it. "Say it, Samuel. Tell me you are special." "I." He swallowed, heart beating in his chest. This was always so hard. So uncomfortable. "Peter..." "Tell me." Peter leaned in, pressing their foreheads together. "Tell me." 50


"I'm special. I'm yours." "Yes. You are." Peter kissed him, tongue pushing into Sammy's mouth and filling him with the flavors of beer and of Peter himself. The reward was greater than the act and Sammy groaned, wrapping himself around Peter, loving on the man with all he was. He barely noticed when his beer bottle was pulled from his fingers, but he did notice when Peter's hands both slid through his hair, the kiss going deeper. It was so easy, to open wide and give himself up. Peter bent his back over one arm, tongue sweeping through his mouth, owning it—owning him. Sounds bubbled out of him, pushing into Peter's mouth as his lover stole his good sense away, sharpening his focus to one thing—Peter. One hand stayed in his hair, tilting his head this way and that, changing the angle of their kisses over and over. And he could feel Peter's prick, hard and hot against his ass. Need flooded him and he started shifting, rubbing against Peter's cock, begging his lover for more. Peter's free hand slid to his prick, rubbing him through his pants, making him start to leak pre-come. Oh. Oh, he ... He pushed closer, rocking and rubbing, driving them both. Their kisses became sharp, Peter's teeth coming out to scrape over his lips, dragging first one and then the other into Peter's mouth. And all the while that hand worked him, guided the movements of his hips. Oh, he was going to lose it, going to come. Sammy whimpered, trying to warn Peter. Peter pressed harder, the rub of material rough against his flesh. Rough and practically 51


perfect. His eyes rolled, hips jerking as he shot, belly tight as a board. A moan filled his mouth, Peter bucking beneath him. The kisses gentled, Peter's hand staying where it was, right over the mess in his trousers. "Love." Sammy blinked, pushing into the kisses, over and over. "Mine." Peter stood, holding him easily, and heading up the stairs. "Yes." He always had been. "I'm going to torture you, Samuel. I'm going to tie you to that bed and drive you absolutely crazy." Peter's voice was low and husky, full of promises. "I thought torture was a bad thing..." "Not the way I do it." Peter pushed the door open, the scent of the place already marked in his mind—strong talc and Peter's aftershave. And a hint of leather. Peter laid him out on the bed, smiling down at him. "I love you." He stretched, rubbing on the bedding like a big cat. "I love you, Samuel." Peter reached for the cuffs attached to the headboard. "And I'm going to show you just how much." "Okay. Okay." He reached out, fingers sliding on Peter's skin, moving up towards Peter's nipples. "Mmm..." Peter grabbed his fingers, holding them, tugging his arm up toward the cuffs. "You need this tonight, Samuel." "Do I?" He arched, eyes following Peter's motions. "How can you tell?" 52


"If I told you, I wouldn't have any secrets anymore..." Peter clicked a cuff around one wrist, fingers lingering, sliding along his skin. "Tell me it's good?" He knew it was, knew that Peter needed him to need this, that they were a unit, but he needed to hear it. Peter cupped his face and looked into his eyes. "It's good. It's right. It makes me very happy, Samuel." Peter's kiss was long and lingering. He nodded, stretched his other hand up, offering himself up willingly. "Oh, yes. You make me so very happy." Peter cuffed Sammy's other wrist and then pushed the cuffs apart, spreading his arms. "Now I can do anything I want to you." "Anything." He nodded, stretched and shivering. "Yes, anything." Peter grabbed the front of Sammy's bowling shirt and ripped it open, leaning in and putting a finger across his lips. "I'll buy you a new one." He opened his lips, sucked Peter's finger in. So hard on his budget. Peter made a soft noise and pulled his finger partway out before letting the suction draw it back in again. Over and over, like Peter was fucking his mouth. The other hand was busy, too, Peter touching his chest and belly with long, gentle sweeps. He hummed around the finger, tongue flicking the tip, pulling and demanding a little bit, knowing Peter would feel it. Peter pulled back gently from the kiss. "So responsive and sensual." Peter licked at his lips, tongue sliding around the 53


finger in his mouth. "I love the way you feel everything, Samuel." Sammy felt the pleased blush, felt the slow rush of heat fill his belly. "Oh, look at you." Peter pulled back, doing exactly that, looking at him from head to toe. There wasn't an inch of him that Peter didn't see. He whimpered, eyes closing, resisting the urge to curl up a little. Instead he stretched out, offered himself up. Peter's mouth landed in the middle of his breastbone, tongue warm as it swirled on his skin. "You are sexy, beautiful." Another kiss, landing on his belly this time. "You make me hard, Samuel. Every time." The sound that escaped him was low, happy, the reward making him smile. "Thank you, sir." Peter's mouth slid over to his hip, nibbling on the bone, tongue sliding up along the crease between his hip and his pubic hair. The touches were hard enough not to tickle, hot. It was so easy to float on the sensations, to know how much Peter loved him. Like magic, but better. Real. Each part of him was loved on, from the bottom of his feet to the tips of his fingers; Peter kissed and licked and touched every inch. "Tell me how you feel, Samuel." "Loved. Happy." He smiled at Peter, relaxed and settled in his bones. "Like yours." "Perfect." Peter spread his legs, settling between them. Warm fingers pinched the skin of his inner thighs, leaving little stinging spots behind. 54


Sammy shifted, legs moving restlessly as he let himself just feel. Then Peter bent and put his mouth over the spots where he'd pinched, lips closing over his skin, teeth and tongue worrying the flesh. Marking him. Again and again. "Yours. Yours, Peter. Sir. Love." The peace started fading, replaced with a steady, buzzing energy. "Yes. All mine." Peter pushed one of his legs back, pulling a mark up at the place where the back of his thigh met his ass, and then again just near his hole. "Peter..." He jerked, the cuffs jangling, jingling. "You need so fully." The words were low and silky across his ears. Then Peter's lips latched onto the skin of his balls. "Oh!" The tug surprised him, made him jerk and shudder, hands opening and closing over and over. One of his balls was taken into Peter's mouth, warmed and let go, and then the other. Lips wrapping around the smooth patch of skin between his balls and his hole, Peter tugged on it next. "Mmm. Love." If he'd been a cat, he would have purred, it felt so good. The warm tugging continued, Peter's thumbs sliding over his hole, pushing against it, but not pushing in. He spread wider, unsure what Peter wanted, how Peter needed. "Relax, Samuel. Trust me." Those thumbs kept playing, and Peter's tongue kept licking, lips sucking. "Always." With everything he was. At his word, Peter's thumbs pulled at his ass cheeks, spreading them, giving Peter's tongue the room it needed to plunge into his hole. "Peter!" His hips rolled, nerves sparking all over his body. 55


Another plunge of Peter's tongue into his body, and then Peter drew back and blew into his hole. He twisted, gasped, muscles going tight. "Yes, right here." Peter licked again and stabbed him with that hot tongue, and then blew again. Over and over it happened, Peter changing up the rhythm, the speed of it, keeping him from anticipating what would come next. "Love. I ... You." He was going to go crazy. He was. "Mmm..." Peter didn't stop, though, just kept on doing it, making him need harder, pushing him further and further. His hips rolled and he pulled against the cuffs, lost in the pleasure. He was so lost, he hardly noticed when it stopped, when the tongue fucking flowed into finger fucking and from there into Peter's cock nudging at his hole. But there was no way he'd ever be too lost in it not to notice when Peter's cock started pushing in. Thick and hot, hard as a diamond, it spread him wide, filled him better than anything. "Peter." He met Peter's eyes, so in love it ached. "Good." "I know." Peter bent slowly and kissed him, stealing his breath clean away. When Peter started moving inside him, it was like he'd never really felt anything before this moment. "Yes..." Sammy groaned, riding Peter's cock, trying to encourage that prick to rub his gland. Peter laughed softly, shifting to find it, hitting it on the next thrust and then staying there, making his whole body light up each time. "Thank you. Love. Love." He couldn't stop smiling, couldn't stop begging. 56


Holding his hips, Peter started bringing him into each thrust, their bodies thudding solidly together like they were trying to become one being. "Yours." The word was whispered, just tugged from him. "Come," Peter ordered, the word sounding as much like "mine" as it did the order to let go and give himself to the pleasure. Seed poured from him, splashing over his belly, leaving him wrung out and gasping. Peter kept moving inside him, filling him over and over, and then his lover pulled out, come spraying over his balls and cock. His eyes rolled, that heat making him moan low. Oh. Oh, he. Yeah. Peter slowly rubbed their come into his skin, caressing his balls and his cock and his belly. A soft, satisfied hum filled the air between them. His head was lolling, eyes opening and closing as he floated. The cuffs were released, oil rubbed into his wrists, the scent soft and gentle. And then came the best part, Peter wrapping around him and holding him close so they could float together. "Love you." He sighed happily, sinking into sleep, sated bone-deep. Peter's scent and love followed him.

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Chapter Six "Bathroom, Harry. Where the light's good and the bandages are." Jason wanted to take a good look at Harry's arm, make sure it was clean and well-stitched. Then he'd check the rest of Harry out, top to bottom. He knew it was fussing, and he knew it drove Harry a little nuts, but he needed to see for himself. "I'm fine, babe." Harry followed, though, humoring him, letting him look and see. "I know." He did. He knew. But still needed to do it. Jason turned the lights on, and Harry sat on the toilet. "Much as I like the shirt, take it off, please, Harry." He smiled, admiring his lover. God, Harry was a good looking man. Always had been. "Help me, honey. I'm stiff now." That was more than he'd expected from Harry, asking for help. "Oh, love." He knelt in front of Harry, working the buttons undone and then easing the pink shirt off Harry's shoulders. "You'll take a couple more Tylenol." "Yeah. I will." Harry's arm was swollen and needed a careful wash. Lord. Jason eased off the gauze and tossed it into the garbage. "Just look at you." He shook his head and stood, getting Harry the Tylenol first, passing the little pills over along with a glass of water. He put warm water in the sink and took out a clean washcloth, along with some alcohol swabs and a sterile 58


package of gauze. "We'll take care of your arm first and then get you to bed, love." "Okay, babe." Harry took a kiss, big hand stroking Jase's belly. The touches warmed Jason through and he took another kiss, already feeling more at ease now that he was doing something about Harry's injury. He worked slowly and carefully, and once he had Harry's arm clean, he could see that the hospital had done a good job with the stitching. Still, it was an ugly wound, and he fussed over it, wiping the area with the swab. "Where was Jimmy while this guy was trying to carve you up?" "Calling for backup." Harry winced, tugging away a little, muscles twitching. "Sorry, love." He stroked his hand along Harry's good shoulder, fussing harder. "Next time he should be the backup. I hope they cleaned the wound out properly at the hospital." He rewrapped it with fresh gauze, and then let the arm be—it would stop hurting sooner if he didn't keep fussing over it. "Yeah. Yeah. He's all cattywumpus with this girl of his. She's pregnant and wanting to get married. He's balking." Jase tusked and shook his head. "He needs to focus on the job, Harry. You count on him." He held out his hand. "Come on, bed." "I count on me, babe. You know that." Harry's fingers twined with his, squeezing a little. Yeah. Yeah, he knew. After Harry's abduction, Harry didn't rely on anyone. He leaned against Harry's good arm as they walked to the bedroom, needing to feel his lover's strength, to know that 59


relying on himself had kept Harry alive and more or less whole once again. The house was quiet and familiar, cocooning them, and he turned on the low light lamps on their bedside tables before turning to work Harry's belt open. Harry sucked in for him, that pretty belly rippling under his touch, just like that. He loved how the light caught the pale hairs, made them shine, made Harry look like he'd been brushed with gold. Bending, he pressed a kiss to Harry's belly, those hairs tickling his lips, making him smile. He knelt as he undid Harry's button and zipper, tugging the trousers down over Harry's hips. His hands followed the pants, running along Harry's legs, needing to feel the familiar muscles beneath his fingertips, to know on a visceral level that his lover was whole. "Mmm. Love your hands, babe." Harry stepped out of the pants and sat down on the edge of the bed, muscles rippling. "This good, Jase?" "It's good. You're good." He nodded, too, leaning right down to kiss Harry's feet, then his shins and his calves. Harry moaned, legs spreading for him, just a little. "Yeah. Yeah, Jase." He was going to love Harry into a stupor. He kissed both knees and the soft skin on the inside of Harry's lower thighs. He licked and nibbled, pulling up goosebumps on Harry's skin. Harry slowly leaned back, prick half-hard, paying attention. Jase looked up over the muscled body, admiring his lover, his stud. His hero. 60


He worked his way up along Harry's inner thighs, slowly spreading Harry's legs and moving to kneel between them. Harry tensed a little, hips shifting, pushing down against the bed, but the long thighs spread. He understood the reaction, but it still made him a little bit sad. He pushed the emotion away, focusing instead of Harry's pleasure, on his body, and pressed a kiss to Harry's balls. "Mmm. Your lips are soft..." The sensitive sacs wrinkled, drew up under his mouth. He smiled and kissed them again, licked them before making his way up along Harry's sizeable prick. Harry was taking more than a half-hearted interest now, heavy cock full and throbbing, resting heavy against one sharp hipbone. Jase ran his nose and lips along the length of it, loving the heat of it, the silkiness of the flesh, and the strong scent of Harry himself that lived here. Head resting on Harry's thigh, he started licking. "Oh. Oh, babe..." Harry shifted, hips rolling a little restlessly, trying to push his prick toward Jase's lips. Oh yeah, that's what he wanted, Harry needing and wanting, eager for his touch. He opened his mouth and wrapped it around the side of Harry's cock, about halfway down, sucking and licking, his tongue moving back and forth over the mouthful of flesh. Harry started moaning, just a little, sliding underneath him. That was it. Just like that. He moved his mouth up a little, not enough to hit the head of Harry's cock yet. He'd get there, but he was taking his time, giving Harry the loving he deserved. "Feels good." Yeah. Yeah, he knew. 61


He shifted so he could suck up along the other side of Harry's prick, the heat of it nearly burning his tongue. He cupped Harry's balls in one hand, stroking them gently, adding to the sensations. "H ... hungry lover." Harry's head tossed, a dull flush crawling up that fine stomach. "Good thing I have a feast in front of me." Bypassing the tip of Harry's prick, Jase licked around Harry's navel instead, tongue dipping in to tease. The laugh that rang out made him grin, his Harry ticklish and relaxed enough to feel it. He kissed Harry's navel, licked once more, and then turned his head down, slowly wrapping his lips around the leaking tip of Harry's cock. "Jason..." Harry rippled, hands creaking as they made fists in the sheets. He licked at the tip, taking the drops of pre-come in, the flavor strong and good across his tongue. He did it again, and again, and then pulled off. "It's okay, love. Take my mouth." He wrapped his lips back around Harry's prick, and tugged on Harry's hips, encouraging him to move. "Don't ... don't want to hurt you, Jase." Those hips moved, careful, rocking into his lips over and over. As if Harry ever would. He sucked harder, Harry's cock sliding along his tongue, and he wrapped his hands tighter around Harry's hips, encouraging the gentle movements to speed, urging Harry to take what he needed. "Babe..." Harry groaned, thighs like rocks under him as his lover shifted, ass sliding on the sheets. 62


He started bobbing his head, timing it to take Harry deep into his throat and swallowing around the tip. Each thrust had Harry crying out, shuddering under him and begging for more. He slid one hand up, rubbing the warm skin until he found one of Harry's nipples. Teasing the little bit of flesh to hardness, he flicked his finger back and forth across it. That sent Harry over the edge, spunk splashing against his tongue. He swallowed it all down, the flavor of Harry's come sharp and strong, salt and bitter overlain with something that was Harry through and through. Harry panted, head tossing a little, moaning with pleasure. "Damn, Jase. Good." He smiled around Harry's prick, slowly pulling off it and rubbing his cheek against Harry's belly. "Feeling better, love?" "I feel like a million dollars." Harry was dozing already, eyes drooping closed. "What does a million dollars feel like?" he asked, giggling softly to himself at the joke. He pressed a kiss to Harry's belly and then reached over and brought the covers up over his lover. Once he had Harry all tucked in, he went around the house, making sure everything was locked, the curtains all pulled closed. Harry usually did it, and it was a testament to how much the knife wound had taken out of his lover that Harry hadn't tonight. As soon as it was taken care of, he stripped and joined his lover, Harry's arm going around him automatically, even in sleep. "Love you," Jason whispered. "Love you." 63


Chapter Seven Peter rang the doorbell to Jase and Harry's place and grinned at Samuel, who was carrying the picnic basket. He had the wine, and he knew their friends had an amazing deck. His and Samuel's yard needed work. A lot of work. All in all, it was a recipe for a lovely afternoon. If Jase and Harry were home and willing to entertain. They'd never just dropped by before, not since ... But now they were close enough—practically around the corner. He rang the bell again and knocked. The door opened, Harry standing in a sweat-stained Tshirt. "Laffy? Sammy? Is everything okay?" "Everything's fine, Harry. It's a beautiful day and Samuel and I thought we'd invite ourselves over. We brought food and wine." "Oh. Oh, well. Sure. Come in." Harry looked completely off kilter, but the door opened, the spotless foyer welcoming them in. "Jase is in his office, I think. Let me get him." "If we're interrupting anything, we can relocate ourselves to the shore." He offered Harry the graceful out, hoping his old friend wouldn't take it. "No. No, man. I was working out. Had a long night. Jase and me..." Harry shrugged. "Let me get Jase and jump in the shower real quick. Babe! Laffy and Sammy brought lunch!" His eyebrow went up. Harry and Jase what? He'd always been a curious man, and he couldn't help but wonder what it was that Harry hadn't said. 64


Before he could speculate too much, Jase popped his head out from around his office door. "Peter? Sammy?" "Hi, Jase, we come bearing gifts." Samuel waved, smiled. "We brought some sandwiches, some wine, homemade cookies. It's beautiful outside. We thought we could enjoy it together." "As long as Peter wasn't the one who made the cookies, or Harry might have to arrest you for attempted murder." Jase laughed, coming over to give Peter a hug and kiss. He squeezed tight before letting Jase go to hug Samuel next. The little shit. "Is everything all right, honey? Harry looked stressed out." Samuel kissed Jason's cheek, just barely fluttering. Jason stroked a hand along Samuel's arm. "Everything's fine, Sammy. You've just surprised us. And you know how he feels about surprises." They did indeed. Peter had to admit it was a part of the reason why they'd come without calling ahead. Harry'd become far too controlled and set in his ways. "I know." Samuel took another quick, hard hug. "But like Peter said, we're close enough now to take advantage of the good weather, and I have to admit, spending the afternoon chatting with you both sounded perfect." "It does. And Harry'll be fine. Come on outside; you haven't seen my yard yet this summer, have you?" Jase linked one arm through Samuel's, the other through Peter's. They looked relaxed together; the two had been friends since college, the sorts of friends Peter had once not believed 65


himself able to make. It was incredibly convenient that he had and that that friend had been Harry. "What kind of cookies did you make me, Sammy?" Jase asked as he led them out the French doors onto the deck. "Oatmeal raisin with these lovely cinnamon chips. They're luscious and melty. And there's black forest ham sandwiches with olive tapenade, the prettiest red grapes, and this amazing cheese we found in the city." "Oh, you're going to spoil us, Sammy. If you're not careful you'll have Harry over three times a day for meals." Jase shifted the large umbrella, changing the angle so it shaded the table. "Peter would enjoy that, but our food budget wouldn't." Sammy chuckled, pinking as Harry's laugh answered him. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jase keeps me fed—we just go for good and lots rather than fancy." Peter went over to the counter built into the deck, finding the corkscrew in the drawer. He leaned against the counter as he worked the bottle open, watching Jase and Harry together. Jase was fussing a little more than usual, showing Harry to a chair, hand sliding along Harry's arm. Harry sighed, patting Jason's hand, the look fond, a little frustrated, and more than a little tired. Peter'd bet his bottom dollar Harry wasn't sleeping well again. Maybe he and Sammy could do something to help with that. He didn't know what, and he'd bet that dollar again that Harry wouldn't knowingly let them, but, still, just maybe there was something. 66


The cork came out, and he brought the bottle over as Sammy pulled wine glasses out of the picnic basket. "So how's work been, Harry?" "Work. Things are moving along. We had a truck stopped and we got four kilos of heroin. Made the mayor all puffy and proud." He poured the wine, including a glass for Harry, even though he knew the man never drank anymore. The red had been Harry's favorite wine, though, before the attack. He sat next to Harry, grinning as Jase settled in Harry's lap, cuddling in. Harry handed Jason a glass, leaving the other untouched. "What all have you been up to this weekend." "Busman's holiday. I took Sammy to the yard sales at the crack of dawn." Jase chuckled, sipping at his wine. "Did you find anything good?" "Nothing for the store, but Sammy found a few things." And he'd found a luscious hairbrush with a wide wooden back that would make a wonderful paddle. "There was a lovely pale vase—you should have seen it Jase, you would have loved it. They wanted altogether too much for it, though..." He chuckled as the boys got to talking. After so many years of listening to Samuel, Jason knew almost as much about antiques as he did. "So how are you really?" he asked softly, not disturbing the conversation between Jason and Samuel. "Fine." 67


He shook his head, grinned. Harry's answers were always the same. "You look tired." "It's been a hard couple days." Harry's eyes traveled toward the shed and the little copse of flowering trees. He followed Harry's gaze and decided he could still read his old friend, and if he couldn't, well, a wander around the garden wouldn't hurt him any. "Hey, I bet you guys have a great mower. We still need one—you want to show me what I should be in the market for?" "Sure." Harry slid from under Jason without disturbing their conversation, heading to grab a bottle of water before leading him down the yard. "I got one from Sears, it isn't bad at all." "Yeah? I'll probably hire someone," he admitted with a grin. "Hell, I could run over and do it for you, man. I don't mind." Harry grinned back, walked around the shed to where two old, sagging lawn chairs sat. Someone hid out here a lot. "That would be great, Harry." He knew Harry wouldn't have offered if he hadn't meant it. He sat in one of the chairs, finding it more comfortable than he'd expected, given its state. Harry eased down in the chair, eyes drooped closed under the ancient gimme cap, long legs sprawled out. "Oh, that's nice." "It's quiet back here. Like we're in our own little world." "Mmmhmm. I can just about see y'all's house if I stretch." Peter noted Harry wasn't stretching. 68


And his curiosity and concern for his friend had about run its course on patience. He was ready for Harry to talk. He knew that poking too hard wasn't the way to do it, though, so he just sat and waited. "A guy at work says that they have pills now where you sleep and don't dream any. You think that can be true?" "I think if you don't dream, you die. I imagine the pills keep you from remembering your dreams." He couldn't imagine the nightmares that might keep Harry awake. And that was before you took his ... ordeal into account. "That would suck—the dying, not the not remembering." Harry looked over, lips twitching a little. "They're coming up for parole. I haven't told Jason." He didn't need to ask who "they" were. "Christ, Harry, they should have thrown away the key." "I don't think they'll get it. Not this time. I'll go over to testify and everything." "You going to have to go over what they did to you again?" Not that he knew the full story—Harry'd asked that they not be there when he'd testified at the trial. "Yeah. I figure I'll do it, get really shitfaced, spend the night in a hotel, and drive home the next morning." He shook his head and grinned. Harry's one exception to the not drinking rule, apparently. "What are you going to tell Jason?" He couldn't imagine Jason letting Harry go through that alone if he knew about it. Jase had developed a really fierce protective streak.

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"I'm not. I'll tell him I have to go for work. It'll just upset him." Of course, having to do it alone wouldn't upset Harry, not at all. "You honestly think you can do this without him finding out?" Jason obviously knew something was up; he was much subtler than Sammy with the fussing, but, nonetheless, he was doing it. "I hope so. I don't want him there." Harry's mouth set into hard lines, the look brutal, harsh, one he hadn't seen in a long while. Peter sighed and made an offer that was partly against his better judgment. "I'll arrange for something for him and Sammy to do that day. If. If you agree to have me along. I don't need to sit in on the hearing, but I'll be there when you get out." "I'll be fine, man. It's just another day on the job." "Sure, Harry. You're not sleeping because it's just another day on the job." He shifted, feeling lazy in the sunlight. "I'm still going with you. Or Jase is." "Don't bulldoze me, man. I'm bigger and meaner." The words were almost gentle, Harry not posturing at him. "You are, but Jason, man, he'd kill me if he found out I knew you were going to do this and I let you go alone." He shook his head. "He'll be pissed off enough I didn't tell him. I don't know if you've noticed, but he's a little protective, Harry." "Yeah, well, you don't do what we went through without changing a little, I guess." 70


"A little?" Jesus, if Harry called this a little ... Oh, they'd come through it, but Harry had such a tight rein on his control ... It wasn't healthy, and Peter was convinced Harry hadn't truly come through it yet; he was still holding on too tightly. Harry just nodded, face up toward the sun. "We'll talk about it in a few days. The parole hearing's in two and a half weeks. Their lawyers have already been requesting files and shit. Say they're changed." Bright blue eyes met his, lasersharp. "Part of me wants all three of them out, so I can hunt them down." "They're not worth going to jail for, man." "I know. If I didn't have Jason, I'd..." Harry's voice trailed off. "It doesn't matter." He reached out and touched Harry's shoulder. "But you do have Jason." He knew that had made all the difference when it had happened. "I do." Those hard lines softened, and Harry smiled. That was how Harry had done it, had survived. Under all the bullshit, there was pure love in his friend. "So trust him, Harry. He's stronger than he looks." "I do trust him. I just ... He made it through all the ugliness. I'm not dragging him back through it." Peter shook his head. "He's going to be pissed off, Harry." Because the odds of Jase not finding out were pretty slim. The man was persistent when it came to Harry. Like a dog with a bone. "About what?" Oh, that was a growl. "It's not his job to deal with this shit. You really think I believe you'd include Sammy if the shoe was on the other foot?" 71


"It's an entirely different situation, Harry." He loved and adored Samuel. But his dearest did not have the same strengths that Jason had. "Why not? Sammy's not helpless. Hell, I've seen him take a punch in a bar fight and pop right back up cussing." "You can do anything you want to Samuel. He deals with the physical hurts very well." Needed them, in fact, if they were given in love. His hand itched at the thought. "He has less faith in himself than Jason has." "He just needs to breathe every so often. He's always gotten himself worked up." "Yes. The matter is to convince him of that." Peter sat back and looked up into the sky. "We are well-matched with our lovers, you and I. And I imagine it would do us both well to remember that." He squeezed Harry's shoulder. "At least consider telling him, Harry. Please." "I'll think about it." It was all he could ask. "Thank you." A bird flew by, landing by the flowers at the far end of the garden. "Is that all that's bothering you?" Peter asked. "I never said anything was bothering me." Stubborn, hardheaded ass. "No, you didn't." He grinned over. "But I have eyes in my head. And the curiosity of a hundred cats." "Butthead." Harry swatted him lazily.

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He chuckled. "Well, some things just never change, Harry. And you don't have to tell me. But I bet you'd feel better if you did." "I can't, Laffy. This isn't something you can help." Harry shrugged, offered him a smile. "I'm good, man. Solid." "All right, old friend. You remember where I am if you ever need to talk, though." Because he didn't believe it for a moment. He'd bet good money Harry never bottomed anymore, and he knew for a fact the man used to enjoy it; Jase and Samuel chattered about everything with each other. "I know." "There you both are!" Jason and Samuel appeared at the edge of the shed. "I told you they'd be hiding out back here." "Aren't you two hungry?" Samuel's hands landed on his shoulders, rubbing. "Jason got tired of waiting. Such an impatient boy." "We were just having a quiet moment together. I could eat, though. If Jase left anything for us to eat," he teased, hand reaching up to stroke Samuel's. "Of course there's some left!" Jason stuck his tongue out. "Just a little. I think he snuck cookies..." Samuel leaned in, kissed his temple. "Mmm ... I think you both did." He slid his hand around behind Samuel's neck and pulled his lover down, taking a kiss and tasting the sweet on Samuel's mouth. "Ew. Nasty. Do I have to watch them kissing, Jase?" Harry was loud and raucous, making them all laugh. He kept Samuel there, too, made a show of kissing him again. With tongue. Then he winked over at Jase and stood. 73


"Let's go eat, Harry. If we leave these two to go back to the deck on their own, who knows what diabolic plans they'll come up with." "No shit. Jason'll have me painting your house and you'll be teaching a bunch of acne-ridden teenagers about antique vases." Peter wrapped his arm around Samuel's shoulders, laughing as he led his lover slowly back to the deck. "We should play a game," he suggested. "Scrabble?" Samuel's eyes were dancing. "God, no." Harry groaned, making Jason laugh. "You've obviously never played the kinky version," he teased. "I was thinking more along the lines of something like truth or dare, something fun." "I am not lighting farts for your edification, Laffy." "Spoilsport." "Bitch." Jase laughed softly. "Truth or Dare makes me think of high school. That and Spin the Bottle, Seven Minutes of Heaven." "Seven?" Peter shuddered. "We only ever did two. Susie Wilson, eighth grade, the closet in her parents' bedroom. My God, I thought I'd never recover." "Ew. Cooties." Harry stretched out, grabbed a cookie. "I never did that, really. I was always looking for an excuse to work out with my buds." "How old were you when you realized why?" He himself had always known, just as he'd known not to tell anyone. Harry shrugged. "Young. Maybe thirteen or so? I mean, I didn't do anything until college, you know?" 74


"Somehow things like that were safe in college in a way they never were at home, hmm?" Jase chuckled, giving Harry a warm smile. "The best thing about college came right at the very end." Harry's eyes warmed, danced. "You think?" Samuel pouted dramatically. "Jason! You mean I wasn't the best thing about college for you?" Harry laughed. "Maybe moving away from you..." Jase smacked Harry's arm. "You made me love college, Sammy. I loved rooming with you and talking until dawn. But my very last night. That was when I met Harry." They'd all heard the story, many times, but Jase loved telling it. "Yep. Stoned out of his pretty little mind. I took him home and let him sleep in my bed." The look in Harry's eyes was almost gentle. "My hero right from the start. And the next morning, when I was puking my guts up all over his bathroom, he just cleaned me up with a cool cloth and packed me back into his bed." Jase smiled a goofy, silly, love-sick smile that was only ever aimed at Harry. "It took me considerably longer to get him to share the bed with me." "Well, I didn't want to take advantage." Samuel snorted, the sound almost inelegant. But Jason just beamed. "You see? My hero!" So many years and Jason still felt Harry was his hero. Peter could only hope that what he and Samuel had was as enduring. "Careful," he teased. "You'll give him a swelled head." 75


Samuel shook his head. "Our Harry? No. No, that's not possible. He's always been solid." "Oh, yes, very solid." Jase slid back into Harry's lap, flirting madly with his lover. "Babe." Harry's cheeks heated, but those square hands wrapped around Jason's waist, settled them together. Jason looked happy, pleased to be right where he was, and Peter could see why Harry was loath to tell Jason about the parole hearing. "Of course, we just had to wait a little while for Laffy to come across Sammy." Harry opened his mouth for another cookie. Samuel laughed. "Yes, and a little longer for you to decide not to arrest him. You beast." "He still might," piped up Jason. Peter laughed, and tugged Samuel over, wanting his own lover in his lap. Samuel cuddled in, a happy sound warming him all through. "No. I think Peter was very good for Harry." "You think? I needed someone to nag." He just grinned. The truth was they both needed a friend to needle, someone they could joke around with and know where their friendship stood. It had been easy becoming friends with Harry. And for a man like himself, who made very few friends, that was saying something. He sipped at his wine, feeling mellow in the sunshine and company of good friends. Samuel's hand drew lazy circles on his stomach, his lover close, cuddly. Happy. He thought perhaps, too, that Harry looked more relaxed than he had 76


when they'd arrived and hoped that their company had had something to do with that. Raising his glass he offered a toast. "To friends." Two wine glasses and a water bottle clicked against his glass. "To friends." They all drank to that, Peter sliding his fingers over Samuel's hip, just making little circles. "Would you two like to spend the afternoon? Watch a few movies?" Harry was petting Jason, long, slow strokes. He watched as Jason all but purred under the touches, as if he were a big cat. "I do believe we would, Harry, thank you." "Just no documentaries, Peter, please." "There's nothing wrong with documentaries, Jason." Samuel chuckled. "Am I allowed to nap, lovelies?" "Did Peter keep you up too late last night?" Jason asked. Samuel blushed and chuckled. "Actually, no, but you know wine goes straight to my head." "It does," he agreed. "Samuel's a very cheap date." Jase giggled. "Do you want to use the guest bedroom, Sammy? I could make up the bed for you." Peter answered for his lover. "He can nap on my lap." Samuel nodded, fingers squeezing his. "I'll be just fine there." "You will," he agreed, giving Samuel another kiss. "What movies did you have in mind, Harry?" "Oh, something with explosions and car chases." Harry stood, bringing Jason along like the man weighed nothing. "Grab the cookies, babe." 77


Jase leaned over and grabbed the plate, looking happy as a clam. "I want to watch a Van Damme movie. That man ... Mmm." Peter chuckled. "Don't tell me Harry has competition." "He's way more flexible than I am." Harry headed into the house, muscles rippling. Jason's giggle flowed out after them. "Come on, Samuel. The movies might be trash, but you can't deny the guy has lovely muscles." "Mmmhmm." Samuel finished off the glass of wine, already swaying, just a bit. "Not as fine as you." "I knew there was a reason why I like you best." He wrapped his arm around Samuel's waist, steadying Samuel against his body. "Are you having a good time?" Samuel nodded, leaned. "Jase is really worried about Harry, Peter. Like really, really." He sighed. "I know. I am, too." He kissed the top of Samuel's head. "Especially as he's not telling me the whole story." "Can I help somehow?" "You are helping by listening to Jason, and being there for him. We can do more though, maybe, than just listen." He walked them slowly toward the den. "We'll do more. I'm just not sure what yet." "Okay." Harry and Jason had left them the long sofa and Peter settled there, Samuel curling up next to him, head in his lap. "Is there popcorn?" Peter teased. 78


"There will be after the cookies are gone." Harry stood and handed him a cookie and lifted the wine bottle. "You want another?" "I do." He pushed his wine glass across the coffee table toward Harry and munched on the cookie. "Although I should warn you that if I have that glass of wine I may get snarky over the movie." "May?" Jase laughed. "Eh, I've been able to ignore you for years, Laffy. Hell, look at Sammy, he's already out." "If this was popcorn, you'd be wearing it," he told Harry, sticking his tongue out at the man. "Promises, promises. Be good and watch the movie." Harry plopped down in the big green recliner. "Which one is this? Time Cop? I know that's Jason's favorite." "Oh, yes, there's that scene where he does the splits up onto the cupboards." Jason made a soft little noise. "And, yes, I am that shallow!" "Perv." Harry rolled his eyes and grinned at Jason. "Sh. The movie's starting." Jason pressed the button on the remote. Peter watched with half an eye; the other half he kept on Harry and Jason, idly trying to figure out if there was more going on with Harry than just that his attackers were coming up for parole. Harry's eyes closed about fifteen minutes into the movie; Jason's eyes never left Harry.

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Peter shook his head. His best friends were hurting and they were all sitting here pretending to watch a movie as if everything was just fine. And it wasn't. Not at all. He thought maybe it was time for all four of them to have a conversation after this movie was over. Whether it was comfortable or not. Samuel's eyes fluttered open, his lover tuned to him as always. "Peter?" He stroked his hand along Samuel's back and through his hair. "Right here, Samuel." "You okay?" "I am." So sensitive, his Samuel. He lowered his voice. "But our friends need our help." "Okay. You need me to start supper or something?" He chuckled softly. "You truly believe food helps any problem." It was endearing, actually. And he had to admit, Samuel made the best comfort food. "Food and you." Samuel cuddled in, eyes closing again. Harry'd fallen asleep himself and Jason gave him a half-grin. "It looks like we're doing naps instead of movie," he noted, Jason nodding at him. That was all right. It would give him time to come up with a starter for this particular conversation.

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Chapter Eight Harry sat at the kitchen table, staring into a mug of the blackest, richest coffee he'd ever had. Lord, he was tired. Couldn't sleep worth shit, but man, he was tired. Tired of ducking Peter. Tired of Jason fretting. Tired of trying to decide what to do and how to do it and... Shit. Harry took another sip, mind working a million miles a minute. "Love?" Jase called from the hall, then peeked his head in. "Harry? Are you all right, love?" "Yeah. Yeah, just having a cup of joe." Just thinking. Just sitting. Jase came up behind him, and started rubbing his shoulders. "That's not going to help you sleep." "Oh..." Oh, man. It was hard to snarl at a guy when he was doing that. "Look how tight you are." Jason tsked and kept rubbing, focusing on a really hard knot. "What's wrong, love?" "Work stuff, babe." That wasn't a lie. Damn it. "A bad case? Tell me about it. You know that always makes you feel better." "Few bad guys up for parole. I gotta go testify." "That doesn't usually get you this worked up. What did they do?" Jason's fingers moved to his neck, which had gotten stiffer as Jase kept pushing. "They kidnapped a guy, raped him. Fucked him up but good." 81


Jason's fingers stilled and then curled around his shoulders, holding on tight. "Harry ... that. It..." "Just breathe, babe. I'm here. Right here." And so fucking tired that it hurt. Jase's forehead rested against the top of his head, and he could hear each breath as Jase did as he was told. "That's your case," Jase said softly. "It'll be okay, Jason." He didn't want to talk about this. Jason came around and pushed onto Harry's lap, straddling his thighs. His lover's pretty eyes were worried. "Will it?" "Yeah. Yeah, babe. It will. I swear." If he had to kill them all with his own hands, one by one, it would be okay. Jase framed his face. "Then why aren't you sleeping? Are you sure you have to testify? They have your testimony on file, don't they?" "I need to do it. I have to make sure they don't get out." Make sure they pay. "Okay." Jase nodded. "Okay. When is it?" "Why?" Jase didn't even blink. "So I can book the day off." "No. You need to stay here." He didn't want Jason there. Didn't want them to see Jason's face. Didn't want Jason to see his. "No, you need me, love. You don't have to do this by yourself." Jason's mouth set stubbornly. "I do have to do this, Jason. I don't want you in danger. I don't want you looking at them. I don't want them looking at you." 82


"Then I won't go in with you. I'll drive you to the courthouse and stay in the car." Jase's fingers slid along his cheeks and through his hair. "I won't let you do this on your own, Harry. You don't have to protect me from this." "I have to. Don't you understand, babe? It's the only thing I could fucking do. Protect you from them." Because he sure as shit hadn't protected himself. "From them, yes, please. But not from you." Jason's fingers kept moving, fluttering over him. "What are you talking about, Jason. I won't hurt you." He grabbed Jason's hands, kissed each palm. "I'd never hurt you." "Of course you won't! That's not what I meant." Jason closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I want to help you, Harry. Please, don't shut me out." "I'm trying not to, Jase. I just ... I need to ... Fuck." He took Jason's face in his hands, kissed Jason good and hard. "I need to take a walk. I need to think. Go get a shower or something, and we'll go to breakfast in an hour." "Come back to bed with me, Harry. Or come take a shower with me." "I can't sleep, Jason." He resisted the urge to shake Jason, eyes closing for a second. "I'm so fucking tired and I just dread seeing the goddamn bed." "Then we'll sleep somewhere else. Besides, I know how to make you sleep." Jason's hands slid down toward his waist. "What?" He blinked, confused. When had he lost control of this conversation? 83


Jason wriggled out of his lap and knelt between his legs. "I know how to put you to sleep," Jason said earnestly. "Let me help." He reached out, cupped Jason's cheek. "You don't have to do this, babe. I'm going to be fine." One way or the other. Jason nuzzled into his palm. "Harry. I love you. I want to suck you off." Jason's fingers slid along Harry's waistband before tugging the sweats down. Hell, he didn't know if he could even get it up. He'd sure try though, for his man. "Mmm ... So pretty, Harry. And you smell so good." Jase petted Harry's penis and leaned in to breathe in deeply. "Oh." Harry closed his eyes, butt shifting on the chair. Okay. Okay, maybe he could get it up. Maybe. Jason's touch was so goddamn fine. Jason's fingers cupped his balls, rolling them softly as Jason began to lick and nibble, almost playing at the moment, teasing. "You've got the softest mouth, babe. I swear to God." It just never got old. Jason smiled against Harry's prick and kept kissing, eventually winding up at the tip, tongue sliding and teasing, moving over his slit. His cock was rallying like everything in its world was A-OK, throbbing and jerking every time Jason tongued his slit. Moaning softly, Jason wrapped his lips around the head, sucking strongly. All the while Jason played with his balls, rolling them, stroking them, making them tingle. 84


"Jase." He almost scooted forward enough that Jason could touch him, touch his hole, but he didn't, stopping himself and pushing up toward Jason's mouth. "Mmm..." The sound vibrated around the head of his cock, and then Jason started to bob, lips sliding up and down along his prick, slowly taking more and more of him in. That was just what he needed, that hot mouth, Jason taking him. Slowly but surely, Jason took him all in, nose finally burying in his pubes, throat swallowing around the tip of his cock. "Jason. Jason, babe." His eyes opened, things swimming a little as he blinked. His lover's eyes were closed, Jase's face peaceful and happy, lips stretched by his cock, moving up and down along it. Then Jase's eyes opened, looked up at him, adored him. "Love you, huh?" He reached down, cupping Jason's cheek. "'s good." Jason pulled off and nuzzled into his hand. "I love you, Harry." A kiss graced his palm, and then Jason took Harry's cock back in, humming as he went all the way down. Harry quit fighting it, head falling back, throat working as he shifted, fucked Jase's mouth. Jase let him, encouraged him, throat swallowing around his prick every time he hit it. The touch on his balls became a little firmer, working him. He spread wider, motions steady, rhythmic, driving himself closer and closer. One of Jase's fingers slid behind his balls, stroking the skin of his perineum just as his lover's throat swallowed hard around the tip of his prick. Harry jerked, crying out as he shot 85


hard, hands gripping the arms of the chair. Jason swallowed around him, fingers on his skin bringing him through it. Then his lover's tongue and lips licked and loved on him, cleaning him thoroughly. "Love." His eyelids were drooping, head loose on his shoulders. So good. So tired. Jason was suddenly standing next to him, helping him up. "Come lie on the couch with me, love." "Hmm?" He'd been going to take a walk, hadn't he? Jason led him into the living room, supporting him. "We'll rest together for a while, love." "Mmm. 'kay babe." He let Jason lay him down, held his arms out for his man. Jason joined him, curling up with him, heavy and right against him. He was asleep before he could let Jase know how good it was.

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Chapter Nine "Okay, honey. Talk to me." Jason had been at his door at eight A.M., dark circles under his pretty eyes, face swollen. Sammy had made them muffins and coffee, sitting Jason down at the breakfast table while he worked. Poor love. Jason closed his eyes and sighed. "Oh, Sammy. It's Harry." He started creaming the butter and sugar. "What about him, honey? Is he okay?" "No. No, he's not. He's not sleeping, he's off his food. He's growly all the time." Jason played with his spoon, fingers rubbing along the handle. "Well, is he sick? God knows Peter can be a bear if he's feeling bad..." Jason shook his head. "No, no, it isn't that. You know the ones that hurt him? Well they're up for parole and he has to go testify. Up for parole already—can you believe that?" "No. No, they can't be." He dropped his spoon, staring at Jase. "They won't get out, will they?" God, poor Harry. He'd never seen anyone so fucked up, so broken. Never. "Oh, God, I hope not, Sammy. Harry says they won't. He says it's okay—he says he's okay, over and over, but he's not, Sammy. He's not." Jase took a drink of his coffee. "He's not okay at all." "Well..." Jesus, what did he say to that? "Does he need a shrink, honey?" 87


Jase laughed, the sound a little hysterical. "Can you see Harry going to a therapist?" "No. No, but that's what I'm supposed to say, right?" He stopped puttering and hurried over, wrapping Jason in a hug. "You've got to be so scared." Jason hugged him back, clinging some. "He won't talk to me, Sammy. He just keeps saying he's okay, and he's not." "Has he ... I mean, are you two still having sex? That's almost as good as talking sometimes." Jason nodded. "We are. I ... It ... He doesn't sleep unless we do." "Oh, man." Sammy held on, hands petting Jason's back. "And we know Harry won't take something to help him sleep." Jason leaned into him. "He doesn't want me to go with him." "Why not?" As soon as he asked, he knew the answer. Harry was ashamed. They'd all dealt with this, after the abduction, in the hospital. Harry hadn't seen anyone for so long, not until Peter just forced himself in, made Harry understand. "He says it's because he doesn't want me to be in danger, doesn't want them to see my face. But I don't have to go in with him, Sammy. I can wait outside." Jase shivered. "Everything was going so well, Sammy. And now he's all torn up again." "Well, if he is, doesn't that mean he wasn't healed?" It made sense to him. Sort of. Sammy hugged tighter, nodding once as Peter came in, still in his bathrobe. "Morning, love." "I don't know, Sam. I just don't know." 88


Peter came over, one hand on each of their shoulders. "What's the matter?" "Harry's hurting, love. Hurting bad." Peter took Jase's face in his hands and turned it this way and that. "I didn't realize it had gotten this bad." "He's not sleeping. The guys who ... They're up for parole." Peter sat at the table. "I need coffee for this, Samuel." "Yes, Peter. I'm making muffins, too." Sammy kissed Jason's forehead, Peter's cheek, and went to pour three cups—one black, one with just sugar, one with cream and sugar both. "So Harry's not taking it well." Jase shook his head. "He's not sleeping, he's grouchy." "So, business as usual, then," teased Peter, making Jase laugh a little. "I'm worried about him, Peter." "We all are, Jase." Sammy nodded, going back to his muffins. "Has ... I mean, has he healed physically okay?" Jase nodded. "There aren't even any scars. Not physical ones." "Plenty of emotional ones left, though," murmured Peter. "And this parole thing will have them all opening up. I think there's some things that have never healed." "We were doing fine." "Were you?" Peter asked. "Were you really?" "You can talk to him, Jason. Peter's your friend, too." He knew that Harry'd stopped letting Jason penetrate him—at all. Not that it was a big deal, if everyone was happy, but Jason'd 89


told him how they'd enjoyed pitching and catching, both of them. "We were, for the most part. Nothing's perfect, right?" Peter took Jase's hand and stroked the back of it. "Samuel is right, dear. You can talk to me. I love you and Harry both and I just want to help you." "Things were going fine. Different from before, but fine." Peter had a way about him, made people feel good, at ease, and it didn't surprise Sammy at all that Jase was opening up. Sammy got the blueberries from the freezer, grabbing the sausage patties while he was in there. Jason needed protein. "You're talking sexually?" Peter asked. Jase nodded. "Yes." He sounded almost prim. "Can you be more specific?" "Well..." "Harry doesn't let Jason touch his hole. At all." He blinked, cheeks heating. "Oh. I'm sorry, Jase. It just popped out." "It's okay, I would have said it eventually. Well ... maybe not like that." Peter chuckled. "That's my Samuel." He ducked his head, grinning and looking a little chagrined as he went to turn on the oven. "Put like that or not, that's the difference, isn't it?" Peter asked. "Yeah." "And you used to touch him there?"

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"Oh, hell, Peter, he loved getting fucked." Jase looked half amused, half embarrassed, and somehow earnest all at the same time. "Did they. I mean, I know that they hurt him. How bad was it?" Sammy wasn't sure he really wanted to know. "He's never given me a blow by blow," Jason admitted, and he clutched Peter's hand when it reached for his. "But I know they used his nightstick on him. They had him for three days, Sammy. It was pretty bad." "It's all right," murmured Peter. "It shattered him. You were both there. But he came back. We've been doing so well. And now..." Jase shook his head, blinking hard. "Hey. Hey. He's still here, isn't he? He still loves you..." It was hard to pour batter into a muffin tin when you were sniffling. "Samuel's right. You need to focus on that. Of course, that doesn't mean that you can't want things to be better. And if he's not dealing with the parole hearing very well, and if he doesn't let you touch his hole, let alone penetrate him, maybe there are things he never did deal with." Jase shrugged. "I don't know." "Have you asked him? I mean, can you ask him?" "I'm walking on eggshells right now." "Maybe that's the problem," Peter suggested. "Maybe you just need to get in his face." Jase looked a little horrified by that suggestion. "Is that wise, Peter? Harry's so..." Normal? Steady? Controlled? Harry? 91


"All right then. How about just asking about making love. How did it come about the he was always on top? He does do you, doesn't he?" It was Peter's turn to look vaguely horrified. And he looked relieved when Jase nodded jerkily. "We've never really discussed it." "Never?" Sammy sort of stared. "You don't talk about it?" He and Peter talked about everything. Everything. Jase shook his head. "When we started making love again, I would go to touch him there and he'd pull back. After a bit I stopped trying." "Jason! How can you say everything was fine?" "Because it was. I don't need to do Harry to be happy." "Of course you don't." Sammy didn't fuck Peter very often at all, but it wasn't because Peter was hurt... "No, I agree. Many couples go through life with one of them never bottoming. I even know a couple who never go the penetration route at all and that's just fine." Peter held Jase's hand; he was being so gentle with poor Jason. "But, Jase, if it used to be a part of your life and now it isn't and you've never even talked about it ... well, I think this is something Harry needs to deal with." Pulling his hand out of Peter's, Jase started fluttering, fingers fiddling with his spoon, his coffee cup, the edge of the basket of fruit on the table. "I didn't want to rock the boat. He was doing so well. We were fine, almost back to normal except for a few small things." "Like the no touching his anus thing. And the control thing. And the fact that just the thought of his attackers being up for parole has shaken him so badly." Peter shook his head. "I 92


don't mean to be harsh, but you're not looking at these things, and you need to see that they're there." Sammy sighed, put the muffins in the oven, and set the timer. Harry didn't feel safe, somehow, and Sammy could understand that. Maybe Harry never would again. "Maybe we should all sit down and talk about this together, Jase." Peter smiled over at him. "Then it wouldn't all be on you." "Oh, no, Peter, I can't see how Harry would want that!" Jase stood and started pacing. "He won't talk about it with just me; all three of us would be ... well, invasive." "I could talk to him myself," Peter suggested. Jase didn't look much happier with that solution either. "I don't know why you're making such a big deal out of it." "Because I think it is a big deal in how you relate with each other and the world. I think you miss being on top sometimes. And I'm willing to bet there's other things you miss, too." Peter didn't believe in avoiding stuff just because it was hard. Sammy went to wash dishes, to make more coffee. To do anything to make himself useful. "It may not get better, Jason. Some things never do." "He was fine until this stupid parole thing came up!" Jase insisted. "I wish he didn't have to go through it all again. It isn't fair!" No, none of it was fair. "What will Harry do if they get out?" The question just popped out of Sammy. 93


Jase stopped his pacing, standing still and staring at him with eyes that seemed huge in a face gone pale as snow. "Oh, no! No, that can't happen." "I think we need to have this conversation again, only with Harry," Peter suggested. "Jason, you can't carry this all by yourself. I know you're strong and will do anything to protect Harry, but you both need help and we are your friends." Speaking of Harry, a very grumpy, very unhappy, very tired looking deputy was standing at their back door, scowling. Uh-oh. "Speak of the devil," murmured Peter with a nod at the door. Jase whirled. "Harry!" Still looking pale and upset, Jase went to let Harry in. "Hey, babe. You okay?" Sammy looked at Peter, heart pounding. He needed to make more coffee. "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. Mostly. Sort of." Jase fussed over Harry's shirt buttons and then pushed into his arms. Peter went over to Sammy while Harry and Jase shared a quick kiss, wrapping an arm around his waist, giving him strength. "This isn't going to be easy, Samuel, but we can help." "Okay. Okay. I'll make coffee, huh? Is a dozen muffins enough? Should I make sausage and eggs?" Peter took his hands and held onto them. "You've just made a new pot of coffee, and a dozen muffins is more than enough. We're going to go sit together on the couches that 94


face each other and calmly discuss this. All four of us together. Friends helping friends. You can do this, Samuel. I know you can." "Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. I hate when they're sad." He took a kiss, whispering against Peter's lips. "Me, too, and we just want to help with that, right?" Peter gave him another kiss, hands smoothing over his skin. "Maybe we should go," murmured Jason, clinging to Harry's side. "I've taken up enough of your morning." "You're not staying for muffins?" Sammy asked, eyes wide. "Of course they're staying. Stop lingering in the doorway and come on in, Harry. I'm not going to bite, but we do need to talk." Peter went over and tugged Harry and Jase away from the back door. "The living room—it's comfier." "I'm not sure," began Jason, but Peter interrupted him. "Nonsense. You've nowhere else to be, have you?" Jason looked to Harry. "I just got off shift. What the hell is going on here?" Peter rolled his eyes. "Nothing is 'going on here,' Harry. We're merely talking. Samuel and I are worried about you and Jason. Come and sit and have a muffin—they're fresh. And let's just talk." Harry pursed his lips, then nodded. "Okay. Okay, for Sammy's muffins I'll sit." Sammy grinned, pleased as punch. "Jase, grab the pitcher of orange juice, please?" Peter took a tray out and put their coffee mugs on it, adding one for Harry, and found four juice glasses for the tray 95


as well. Jase got the orange juice out of the fridge and added it to the tray, obviously making an effort to be calm. "Okay, y'all. You're acting like somebody died..." Harry took the coffee carafe out of Sammy's hands, staring at him. "I don't like games, Sammy. What's up?" Peter took the carafe away from Harry and poured the man a cup of coffee, topping the other three cups up. "We're not playing games, Harry. Samuel and I are worried about you and Jason. You both look stressed and tired. We want to help. That's all." "I told them about the parole hearing," Jason admitted, hand sliding along Harry's arm. Harry rolled his eyes, hugged Jason's hard. "Babe. Are you stressing about this? I told you, it's going to be fine." Jase pressed closer, head on Harry's chest. "But you're not sleeping! And you won't let me come with you. It scares me when you shut me out." "We don't have to deal with this in public, babe." Harry kissed Jason's head, fingers sliding down Jason's spine. Peter snorted. "Samuel and I are not 'public,' Harry, we're your friends. And if I may be frank, I don't believe you are dealing with this at all." Jase shook his head suddenly, straightening and standing protectively in front of Harry. He looked almost fierce. "If Harry doesn't want to talk about it, we won't. He's been through enough." "Jesus. Y'all breathe. It's a job, not the end of the Earth!" Man, Harry could boom. And Jase was going all protective and 96


fussy, and Harry was clearly steeling himself not to growl over it. Peter shook his head. "Then come on into the living room and let's talk." Peter pushed and got them moving, Jason in Harry's arms, Peter in his favorite chair. Sammy focused on setting everyone up with muffins, trying to take care of his friends, his family. "I don't mean for this to be confrontational," began Peter. "Though I'm afraid that's how it's coming across. We're just worried about the two of you—Jason looks stressed and, frankly, Harry, you don't look like you've slept in days." "I've been busy, you know that. This isn't easy, but it'll be over soon enough." He could see Jase bite his lip on something. Peter must have caught it, too. "Jason?" Jason shook his head and curled into Harry. "Babe?" Harry started petting, frowning down at Jason. "What is up, honey?" Jase looked up into Harry's eyes. "I'm worried about you, love. You haven't been able to sleep ever since you found out about the parole hearing. You tried to hide it from me. You're all tense..." "I'm fine, Jason. So I'm tense. Wouldn't you be fucking tense, if you were having to go look at the guys who did this?" "Of course I would be! I am tense, Harry. I am. I'm sorry. I shouldn't make a fuss." Jase burrowed into Harry again, and Peter sighed. 97


Oh, dear. It looked like Jase wanted to drop it and Samuel didn't think Peter was going to let that happen. He thought maybe it was time to make that bacon and eggs.

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Chapter Ten Jason wondered if he kept his eyes closed long enough, if this would all disappear: Sammy would stop fluttering and Peter would stop pushing, and Harry really would be all right. The thing was, he knew Harry wasn't dealing very well right now, but he wasn't willing to keep pushing, wasn't willing to force Harry to face it. They had found a place where they could live, happy and together, close enough to whole. He just wanted that back. "Denial's not just a river in Egypt." Peter's voice penetrated clearly, no matter how tightly he squeezed his eyes closed. "Laffy, back off. I'm coping, guys. Really. I'm worried, but I'm supposed to be, right?" Harry's voice rumbled through him. That made sense, didn't it? It was so easy to believe things were okay when he was in Harry's arms. "What exactly is it you're worried about, Harry?" Peter asked. "Seeing them again? Going over what happened again? Them getting out?" "Yes." Well, that was ... short. Did he smell bacon? He peeked out. Sure enough, Sammy was missing. Cooking. Well, at least there'd be good food. "Do you have to go testify?" Peter asked. "It seems to me they've got your testimony on record." Oh, that was a good question. Jase looked up at Harry. 99


"If I don't, there's no guarantee my story will be told, you know?" Harry looked into his eyes, deadly serious. "I need them to stay in jail, Jase. I need it." Jason nodded. "I need that, too, Harry. But I need to help you through this, too. I need you to be able to lean on me and not try to do it all yourself." "Jason. I have to do this. I have to. You don't." Jason knew how badly Harry wanted to protect him, shield him from all that nastiness. "Harry..." His lover kept coming back to that. It was Peter who asked the next question. "Harry, how would you feel if it was the other way around? What if it was Jason who had to testify and he wanted to protect you from it?" "I'd have killed them, if they'd touched Jason. There'd be no testifying." "It's just an exercise in empathy, Harry," Peter commented dryly. Jase leaned up to give Harry a soft kiss. "You take good care of me, love. I want to take care of you, too." "You do. You have, when no one else could." He beamed at Harry. "I would do anything for you, love. Anything." Peter cleared his throat. "We're getting away from the point here." "Are we?" he asked, eyes never leaving Harry's. "I don't know. What's the fucking point, Laffy?" Harry stared at Jase, even while answering Peter. 100


"That you haven't dealt with this whole deal as well as you'd like everyone to believe. Harry, it's affected your sex life!" Jason groaned and buried his face in Harry's chest again. This wasn't going to go over well. Why had he let Peter talk them into this? "What? Jase, what's going on?" Jason sighed and looked back up at Harry. "I'm sorry, love. I shouldn't have said anything, but I was worried about you, and Peter kept asking questions, and it just came out." "Jesus." Harry sighed, shook his head. "Peter, just drop it. That's none of your business." Peter, being Peter, didn't. "I'm your friend, Harry. Yours and Jason's, and this obviously is a problem. I think you need to get that back." Jase shook his head. "We were just fine, Peter." "Until the parole thing came up." "Well, yes, but..." "I am not sitting here and discussing this." Harry's eye twitched. "Will you discuss it with Jason when you go home?" Peter asked. Harry growled, the sound vibrating. "What fucking business is it of yours, Lafayette? My sex life is off limits. Period." "I have bacon and eggs, guys." Sammy stood there, pale as milk, hands filled with plates. Peter's mouth opened and Jason shook his head. "Leave it be, Peter. Let's have breakfast." 101


Peter's mouth snapped closed, lips pinched. "Babe, you go fix a plate. Me and Peter need to have a talk." His eyes widened and he licked his lips. "Are you sure, Harry?" "Yes, babe. You go have a seat. It'll be fine." Harry looked so stubborn. He hugged Harry tight. "I love you," he whispered, giving Harry a kiss. "I love you. Make sure there's enough bacon left for me and Laffy." The words eased him. Harry and Peter might fight, but at the core, they were friends. He smiled and nodded, kissing his lover again. Then he got up and went to get an uncomplicated hug and some comfort food from Sammy.

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Chapter Eleven Peter watched Jason go and waited for Harry to let him have it. "Listen. I don't want to fucking fight with you, man, but how and when and why me and Jason fuck? Not your goddamn business." "No, I don't suppose it is, Harry. But I do think you're in denial and how you don't fuck anymore is a symptom of that." He leaned forward. "I don't want to fight either, Harry, but I'm worried about you both. I want everything to work out." "Everything between us is fine. Goddamn it." Harry was shaking like a leaf, just barely holding onto his control. "What did he tell you?" Peter licked his lips and decided to be blunt. "That you used to love getting fucked and now you won't let him anywhere near your hole." "That. Is. None. Of. Your. Fucking. Business." "Will you at least admit you aren't fine, Harry? What happened changed you, and you haven't dealt with all of it." A part of Harry was still running scared. "What? Hell, yeah, it changed me. I'm sick and fucking tired of people acting like I was supposed to just fucking come away like the same guy." "But that's what you keep telling everyone. That you're fine, that everything's okay. And now you've got to go back and face those fuckers, and you haven't slept in weeks, and you're still saying everything is fine." He leaned forward. 103


"Harry. You're my best friend. I hurt for you. I want to help in any way I can." "You can't. Don't you fucking understand?" Harry stood up, snarling at him, fists clenched. "You weren't there. None of you were, and I have to deal with it. Me." "We're here now, Harry. And we can help you if you let us!" He wasn't going to back down just because Harry snapped a little. "I don't need any help! I'm coping!" Harry's head was going to blow right off. Jase came rushing in from the kitchen, eyes wide, angry. "Stop it, Peter! Just stop it! Leave him be." "I'm trying to help, Jase, you know that." "Well, you're not, so just leave him be." Jason had puffed up, like a momma bear protecting her cub. "What is with y'all? I'm not broken. I don't want my ass touched; is that a fucking crime? It's been touched enough to last the rest of my goddamn life!" Harry slammed his fist into the wall, then stormed out, the French doors slamming hard behind him. "Oh." Samuel stood there, snow white and shaking, eyes huge. "Jason, I." "I have to go." Jason turned and fled, running after Harry. Peter sighed. Well. That had not gone well. He held out his arms for Samuel. "Come here, Samuel." "I ... I should clean up..." Samuel was in total vapor lock, swaying between stepping toward him and stepping toward the kitchen. 104


"I said come here." His voice snapped. Maybe he couldn't help Harry and Jason, but he sure as hell knew how to help his lover. Samuel nodded, running to him, burrowing into his arms with a soft cry. He closed his eyes, and held on, hand stroking over Samuel's back. "It's okay. Samuel. It's okay." "I love you. I'm sorry he yelled. I'm sorry about this." His Samuel didn't cope well with confrontation, especially when it involved somewhere Samuel felt safe. "It's not your fault, and you don't need to apologize. He'll be back later, and he'll be happy to see us, and he'll eat your food, and it'll make him feel better, hmm?" He kissed the top of Samuel's head. "You know what? I think we need to go upstairs, to our special room." "I ... I don't know. I don't know if I can. I don't think I can, Peter. I don't think I can do that right now." "I know you can. I know you need to. Come. We'll be quiet and still and together." Samuel needed his center back. "Quiet and together? You promise?" Samuel's fingers twined with his, holding on. "Always together, Samuel. Always. I promise." He bent and brought their mouths together, letting go of his worry and his upset and his hurt over Harry, and focusing on his dear Samuel. Samuel tasted like tears and coffee, the kiss sweet and soft and slow, just them focusing on each other. He breathed into Samuel's mouth, sharing heat. His fingers wandered over 105


Samuel's face, not trying to arouse, just touching. He could see it, when Samuel began to relax and come back to center. "Mmm..." Peter moaned and started leading Samuel toward the stairs, moving slowly, taking his lover where they needed to go. They were going to be just fine. He could only hope Harry and Jason would be as well.

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Chapter Twelve Harry climbed the fence and stormed across the alley, heading home. He was going to take a shower and have a fucking nap. Alone. In his office. And then, when he woke up, he was going to have a talk with Jason about telling people about their sex lives, because goddamn it, that was no one's business. Nobody's. Not even Peter and Sammy. He dug out his key, hands shaking he was so pissed, trying to work the lock. Jason's hand slid over his, steadying it and pushing the key into the lock. Harry closed his eyes a half-second, took a deep breath. "Hey." Jason's fingers slid up and down his spine, warm and gentle. "Hey." Jason turned the key in the lock and opened the door. They walked in together, closed the door behind them and goddamn it, he didn't know what to fucking say. Jason pressed against him, arms going around his waist and holding on tight. "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm so sorry." "Babe, why didn't you just say something to me? Why didn't you talk to me?" "I've been trying to talk to you, Harry. You keep telling me everything's fine." Jase gazed up at him. "And I was just 107


talking with them, and one thing led to another, and before I knew it, Peter was treading on personal stuff, and it just came out." "Peter's a nosy bastard." Pushy and nosy and sort of a jackass. And his best goddamn friend. "He is. But he cares about us, Harry. He wasn't being malicious." Jase's eyes closed and he leaned against Harry. "And I'm worried about you, Harry." "What do you want from me, babe? I'm trying to deal." Jase pulled back again, looking up at him, so damned earnest. "I want you to let me help you deal. Don't shut me out, love." "I..." He closed his eyes, counted to ten. "I am not shutting you out. I'm protecting you." "By shutting me out!" "What do you want?" Goddamn it! He didn't know what to do. "I want you to let me help you! Stop protecting me from what happened to you. Stop pretending you're fine when you're not." Jase actually growled a little. "Pretend all you want with anyone else, but not with me. Not me." "Help me how, Jason? You can't make it fucking go away. You can't make the memories stop. You can't give back what they took, no matter how much you try!" He was going to lose it. He was. "Why not? I would do anything for you, Harry. Anything." Jase's chin set stubbornly. "You can't fix this. I can't fix it. It's broken." 108


Jase shook his head. "No." His lover pushed him back against the door, finger jabbing in his chest. "No. You are not broken." He blinked down. "What? You're going to just will it. You want it bad enough and it all goes away?" "I believe it, Harry. I believe in you." Jase shook his head. "Don't tell me it's impossible or hopeless." "I love you, babe. I really do. What else do you want?" Fuck, he was tired. "To come with you to the parole hearing. I don't have to go in, but I want to drive you there and then drive you home, be here for you when it's over." "And what if they get out, Jase? You going to stand there with me when I kill them?" "They aren't going to get out. Not after what they did to you. They're going to rot in that jail for the rest of their miserable lives." "I want to believe that." He needed to believe that. "Then believe it." Jase pressed close again. "They certainly aren't going to get out before the parole hearing." "No. No, they won't." He sighed, hugged Jason. "I need a shower, babe. In the worst way." Jase made a show of sniffing. "Oh, you've needed one worse." He was given a wink, Jase obviously making an effort to not keep harping. "You want some company?" "Yeah, unless you need to go make apologies to Sammy the Twitchy Queen." See? He could try too. Jason mock punched his arm. "You know he'll be busy with Peter doing something perverted to him." 109


"Ew. That's a visual I don't need, man. They're good friends, but damn." Jase laughed. "What on Earth are you imagining?" "Nothing. Water. God." He made sure the doors were locked. Jase watched him, quietly letting him do what he needed to do, and then looping their arms together and leading him up the stairs. "You don't have any classes to teach today, babe?" Man, they should have stolen some muffins. "No. I have the week off unless there's an unexpected hole they can't fill." "Oh, that's cool." He stopped on the stairs, looked over his shoulder. "I don't want you coming into the hearing." He didn't want Jason along at all. "I won't come in, Harry. I don't need to come in. I'll wait in the car and drive you home." "I wanted to go drink after." "Well, then, it's a good thing you'll have a designated driver along, isn't it?" Jason got them moving again, all but pushing Harry into the large, bright bathroom. "I still don't think this is a good idea." Still, Jason sounded determined. "That's your prerogative." Jason started the shower and then began to undo the buttons on his shirt. "You going to wear your uniform?" "I don't know. I haven't decided." He was trying not to think about it.

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The shirt was pushed off his shoulders, Jase moving down to work on his pants. "I'll make sure there's one clean in case you do, and your gray suit, too." "Okay. I can get undressed, Jason. I'm not broke-dick." Jason stepped back, one eyebrow going up in what he always secretly thought of as Jason's 'annoyed teacher face.' "Go right ahead, but you should know that I happen to enjoy undressing you." "Man, I can't win for losing today." He stripped down the rest of the way and stomped to the shower. "Well, I could say the same thing!" Jason snatched his clothes up from the floor and shoved them into the clothes hamper. Harry spun around, all sorts of nasty words bubbling up in him, but his eyes landed on Jason and that unhappy mouth, and the only thing that came out was, "Love you, babe." Jason's stiff posture softened, and he nodded, started stripping. "I love you, too, Harry." "Good." He grinned and turned the water on, letting it pound down against him. Jase climbed in behind him, pressing close along his back. Harry leaned back into Jason, just let his lover hold him a minute as he yawned. "You know what we should do?" murmured Jason, cheek rubbing against his shoulder. "We should go away for a couple of days. You remember the B&B on the coast? I bet it's practically empty during the week." "Oh..." Oh, he'd love that. Honestly. 111


"We've got their number in the address book—I'll call them when we get out. We can walk on the beach together and see if that little steak place is still there." "That sounds like heaven, babe." He nodded; they'd spent some of the best anniversaries in those cozy, comfortable rooms. He could feel Jason's smile against his spine. "It does." Jase soaped up and began to rub all over him, the touches as warm as the steam that filled the room. Harry leaned forward, eyes closed as he relaxed a little, breathed deep. Fingers digging in, Jase massaged his shoulders and then down along his spine. "Gonna put me to sleep, Jase." Don't stop. "Would that be a bad thing, love?" Jason found the bundle of nerves at the base of his spine, two fingers pressing and stroking there. His knees buckled, his moan just pouring out of him. "You wanna kneel, love? Or take this to bed?" Those fingers just kept kneading and stroking. "Bed." He nodded, so tired it hurt. Jase turned him a bit, getting the soap rinsed off him, and then leaned around him to turn off the water. Like he was a child, Jase helped him out of the shower and wrapped him in a towel, and led him to their bedroom. "Love you. Sorry, babe. I'm wore out." Jase helped him lie down, encouraged him onto his stomach, and gave him a gentle kiss. "I know, love. Just relax and sleep if you want to, okay?" Jase straddled his ass and started massaging again. 112


"Uh-huh." Jason's hands were perfect on him, warm and strong and ... yeah. The knots in his shoulders were worked on, Jase more stubborn than Harry's tension, working each knot until it loosened. "We gotta call over to Sammy's. Tell them we're sorry." He wasn't, really, but Jason would be. "We do. But it can wait." Jason's hands followed the same path they had in the shower, working slowly down his spine. "Mmmhmm." He grunted as that sensitive spot got worked again, tension pouring from him. "Oh, that's better, Harry." Jason bent and kissed that spot, tongue making circles. "Uh-huh." He was going to die. He'd die happy, though. Jason slid down his body, fingers working his asscheeks. He would've tensed, even thought about it, but he was so close to sleep it wasn't funny. And then Jase's fingers moved on down further, finding knots in his thighs he didn't even know he had. Before he knew it, he was asleep—undreaming, just floating, Jason all around him.

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Chapter Thirteen He had a huge basket of muffins and breads and cookies and he waited for Harry to leave for work before heading over to leave it on Jason's doorstep. Jason would know who the apology was from and it made Sammy feel better to do something to help. He left the basket and turned back toward home. He needed to go to the grocery store and to buy some wine and maybe some new curtains for the guest room. Maybe a new shirt for Peter, something dark and jewel-toned. He was opening the car door when Jason's voice stopped him. "Sammy! Sammy, don't go. Please." He looked over, chewing his bottom lip. "Hey." Jase was his best friend, and they hadn't talked in almost three days. There'd been a curt message from Harry, "Sorry about this morning," and that had been it. Jase came out, by-passing his basket and coming right for him. "Please, Sammy. Come back in with me?" "Yeah. Yeah, okay." He closed the car door, trying to smile. "I made banana nut muffins for you." Jase's arms slipped around his waist and his best friend gave him a hard hug. "Oh, Sammy, thank you." He took a sharp breath, then hugged Jason back. "I'm so sorry, Jase. I swear I am." "Oh, me, too!" Jase tugged him back up the walkway. "Let's go inside before we cause a scene." "Okay." He followed, feeling better than he had in days. "How are you, honey?" 114


"I'm great now that you're here, Sammy." Jase grabbed the basket up as they went in. "Harry's been sleeping a little bit more the last couple days, and we're going away tomorrow for a couple of days. How about you, Sam? I felt so bad with how we left things..." "I just didn't want to make things worse. Neither one of us did, honest. Peter's just so..." Pushy. Bossy. Dommy. "...Forward." "I know he meant well. So does Harry, really. We're just not as..." Jase shrugged and added, "Kinky? as the two of you." "I know. It's a thing." He winked and started unpacking the basket. Jase giggled and gave him another quick, hard hug. "Oh, I've missed you." The kitchen was bright and clean, sun shining merrily in. Jase grabbed the bread and rolls and put them into the breadbox. "You make some coffee and I'll warm the muffins. Where are you going? To the shore?" Oh, oh, this was better. "Yeah. You know that B&B place up the coast a bit?" Jason pulled down the coffee. "Oh, vanilla twist. I almost forgot we had this; you know how Harry likes his coffee 'pure.'" Jase gave him a grin and started spooning the grounds into the coffeemaker. "Yes, well, Harry's got that whole macho thing going on." He winked and grabbed the butter. "I love that place, so quiet and peaceful. Are you going before or after?" 115


"Before. He was building it up and building it up in his head. He needs the distraction, something good to focus on, you know?" Jason set out the mugs, two large, blue monstrosities that he knew Harry hated but that Jase kept just for the two of them. "Yeah. That's good, huh? That he's willing to go?" He grabbed the milk and sugar. "How are you doing?" "It is good. I'm looking forward to it, and so's he." They finally had everything gathered, and Jase sat at the table and started picking at a muffin. "I'm okay, Sammy. I really am. Mostly taking my own advice to Harry—trying not to let it worry me, as nothing's going to happen before the hearing." "Yeah. Yeah, it'll be okay. It will. It has to be." He had to believe that. He had to. Jason reached out and took Sammy's hand, holding on to it. "If we all believe in it hard enough, it will be." Sighing, Jase let go of his hand. "Can we talk about something else, Sammy? Something good." "Absolutely!" He grinned over and winked. "I think we're going to paint the front room a nice royal blue." "Oh, that would be lovely! And it would offset those vases you have in there perfectly. I've been wanting to do something with our front room, but Harry likes it as it is." "Oh, how about a cream with the littlest drop of orange? It would make things warm and cozy." "I like that. Of course, if we did that we'd have to change the couch and Harry's chair. I suppose I could have it reupholstered..." Jase chuckled. "I should bring it up right after the hearing—distract him." 116


"There you go. You know, I found the perfect sofa for you..." They started chatting about furniture and art work, about the goofy clients he had, about the antique stores. About a half hour in, Jase surprised him. "You know, I was thinking about making more vegetarian meals. It would be good for Harry. What do you think?" "I love the whole stir fry, cutting vegetables up in the kitchen together idea, but I know Peter'd rather hang himself." Peter wasn't into the whole kitchen experience. "Oh, that's a good idea! Maybe Harry would go for it more if it was a together thing. And I bet Peter would cook with you if you asked him. He loves you, Sammy." Jase patted his hand. "Oh, I know he does. I just hate to ask him to do things he doesn't like. You could get all Harry's favorite veggies, though. Spend some time just relaxing and chopping." "We could have fun with the cucumbers first, too." Jason waggled his eyebrows. "Ew." He started laughing, both of them giggling like loons in just a few seconds. "I meant carve them, Sammy. You pervert." Jase didn't even manage to say the words with a straight face. "C ... carve them?" He slapped the table, laughing so hard his side hurt. "Little cuke cocks?" Jase nodded, wheezing to catch his breath. "Can't you just picture it? We could line them up in the kitchen window." He sputtered, imagining the poor things wilting and slowly going flaccid. 117


"Oh, man. I'm not sure I can do this now. I'll start laughing, and Harry'll ask why, and you know it's not going to translate." Jase shook his head and got them more coffee. "Just buy little, non-cock shaped veggies like ... uh..." He chewed his bottom lip. "Radishes? Snow peas?" "Radishes are ball shaped." That set them both off again, and every second of laughter made things better and better between them. "Oh, Sammy. I'm so glad you came over. I haven't laughed so much in a long time." "Me, too. I don't like fighting with you two, Jase. I don't at all." "You and I weren't fighting, Sammy. We should set something up for all four of us to do together. More bowling or pot throwing and painting or something. Make Harry and Peter make nice." "I'd love that, Jase." He meant it, too, down to the bones. "I think Peter'd like it, too. He misses Harry." "One of those paint your own pottery places just opened up nearby. We should go there. We could all paint our feelings out." Jason's eyes twinkled, but he knew they'd do it, drag their men down there and tease each other. "Oh, we could paint obscene vases. It would be perfect." Jason giggled and nodded, eyes dancing happily. "I'll call and find out when they're open. Maybe we can reserve the place for just the four of us one evening." That sounded perfect—just for four of them, relaxing. Playing. "See if we can bring in food and wine, make an evening of it?" 118


"Oh, good idea." Jason beamed at him. "Come on, Sammy. Let's go sit in the front room and watch some TV together." They hadn't had a good cuddle in a long while. "I'd love that, Jase." If Peter came home early, he'd be easy to find.

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Chapter Fourteen Peter waited on the terrace of La Chaudiere, his sparkling water fizzing in its glass as he slowly buttered a warm roll. A glance at his watch confirmed that Harry was late, but Peter knew something must have waylaid him, and the man would be along eventually. Still, he was quite hungry and so he was being rude and beginning without his friend. Sammy had put together a basket to take over to Jason, while he had phoned Harry and asked to have lunch. They each reached out to their friends in different ways. Oh, the bun was better than he'd been expecting, and he actually closed his eyes to enjoy the flavors in his mouth better. Harry's chuckle made him grin. "Good roll, man?" He opened his eyes, surprised to see Harry in civilian clothes, hair wet. "Sorry I'm late; I had to work an accident and got my uniform trashed. Went home and showered. Jase and Sammy are curled up on the sofa, both sound asleep." "Oh, I'm so glad. Samuel's been absolutely miserable." Samuel and Jason had been ... well, lovers was too strong a word, and fuck-buddies was far too crude for what Jason and Samuel had shared. Friends with privileges perhaps worked best. It didn't bother him, though; he knew the moment Harry had come along, Jason only had eyes for the big cop. But Samuel and Jason still needed each other. "And, yes, the roll is quite delicious. Maybe the best roll I've ever had. Or maybe I'm just very hungry." "I'm starving. Thanks for the invite, man." 120


"Well, I wanted to talk to you, and I figured you'd accept lunch as an olive branch?" Harry was his oldest friend. His best friend. While the two of them would never be found curled up anywhere together, Harry was as important to him as Jason was to Samuel. "Yeah." Harry stole a bit of roll, settled in. "I didn't break the wall, did I?" He chuckled and shook his head. "It's just fine, Harry. I'd like to be able to say the same thing about us. I'm sorry I kept prying. It was done with the best of intentions." "I know, man." Harry nodded, met his eyes. "It's all good, huh? Me and Jase, we'll figure shit out." "I know you will. I just hate to think of either of you hurting, and you know I find it hard to take a back seat when I think I can help." Taking the back seat just wasn't in his nature. "Yeah, well, you have that whole bossy asshole thing going on." Harry winked, ordered a glass of iced tea. "We're heading to the coast for few days, just to chill out before all that shit happens." "The bossy asshole thing works wonders for me." He asked for another coffee and ordered the eggs benedict. He waited until the waiter had moved on before continuing. "That sounds nice, Harry. You two can have some quality time—get yourself back together." "I just want to sleep and eat enough seafood to make me explode." That surprised a laugh out of him. "Is there that much seafood on all the coast, Harry?" The man could put food 121


away, not that there was ever even a hint of extra flesh on him. "God, I hope so." Harry grinned at him. "We'll all have to go one day. All four of us. There's a little restaurant with fried mushrooms to die for." "Oh, I bet Samuel would fall in love with those and go in the back, charm the recipe out of the cook." It wouldn't be the first time. "Sammy's good that way. He doing okay? He looked skinny." Peter nodded and sighed. "Yes, and yes. He's doing okay, he's too skinny. You know how he gets, cooking for everyone and then forgetting to eat himself. Now that he and Jase are settled together again I can step up his ... well, I imagine you'd rather be spared the details." "God, yes." Harry shuddered, eyes rolling dramatically. "Why y'all can't just hump like bunnies and have a few blowjobs is beyond me." "Oh, but we have all that and the other as well." Peter waggled his eyebrows lewdly. "Yeah, yeah." Harry shook his head, took a drink of water. "So, how's business?" "Not bad at all. It would be better if Mother didn't come down once a week and steal my best pieces for her place. I swear there are times I think I ought to just move the whole lot in and have the place be my store!" He shook his head. She was a great old dame, and she loved her—his—antiques. "Man, better her than Jase. You know that him and Sammy'd antiquify our place if they could." 122


"I won't let them. You're not the antiquified type." Harry was meat and potatoes, not fancy tea cups and salad forks. "That, man, is why we're friends." He nodded, grinning across at Harry as the waiter put their food down in front of them. "So we're good?" he asked once they were on their own again. "Yeah. We're good." Harry looked over, serious, sure. "Me and Jase, we'll figure it." Peter met Harry's gaze. "You'd better, because if you don't, I'll start poking in again." "No poking, asshole. Where my dick goes is off limits." "I don't think it was where your dick went that we were discussing..." He held up his hands to ward off any growling. "I'll be good. How's your sandwich?" "Promises, promises." Harry grinned, took a bite. "Not bad." "Then eat—you look like you'll gnaw your own hand off if you don't fill your belly soon." He dug into his own, enjoying each bite, the company adding to the flavor.

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Chapter Fifteen Jase had his shoes and socks in his hands, the sand pushing through his toes, making him laugh as he ran along the beach, playing chicken with the waves. He ran a little bit ahead and then turned and headed back to Harry, close enough to the water that it slid over his feet as the waves came in. Squealing at the sudden, sharp cold, he barreled into Harry. Harry laughed, grabbed him up and swung him around, toes just brushing the water. Jason wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, shoes dropping to the sand as he took a kiss. Harry tasted like coffee and sea salt and Harry. He approved of the combination. He smiled into Harry's eyes as their lips slowly parted. "Hey, babe. You look happy." Yeah. Yeah, Harry did, too. Jase nodded, beaming up at Harry. God, he loved this man. Squealing again as Harry let him down and the water splashed over his feet, he laughed and danced out of the way of the waves. "I am. I'm glad we came, Harry." "Yeah. You want to go somewhere fancy for dinner or just grab something here and take it easy?" Oh, fancy was tempting, but that would mean showering and dressing up. He slipped his hand into Harry's. "How about we save the something fancy for tomorrow evening? Give ourselves the whole day today to just relax?" "Sounds perfect. We've got three whole days to breathe." Harry walked them over to a bench, both of them sitting, staring out into the water. "Man, it's pretty." 124


Putting down his shoes, he slid his arms around Harry's middle and leaned his head against the broad chest. "It is. I could get lost in it." "No losing, babe. I need you around." It warmed him through, hearing Harry say that. "No, I'm good right here—I'm not going anywhere." "Good." They sat and watched, the sun fading and sparkling over the grey-green waves. "It's going to be winter before we know it, babe. Time to decorate the house for Halloween soon." "I know! I want to do a Day of the Dead theme this year. Less jack-o-lanterns and more skeletons. I found a bunch on sale last year right after Halloween, and Sammy knows a guy who makes bone wind chimes." He and Harry always did the place up—Halloween and Christmas they were the envy of the neighborhood. "That works. I liked the purple lights from last year. We have enough crap to share with Laffy and Sammy." "Oh, this will be their first holiday season in the new house!" He laughed. Peter had been spared the madness of outdoor decoration only because they'd been living in an apartment. "I think we should go over with gifts and give them a hand." "Man, Sammy'll have a ball. I bet he'll even make us those peanut butter chocolate chip cookies..." "Oh, yes. And candy apples, spiced muffins, pumpkin pie." He laughed and hugged Harry. "I think it's his secret mission to make everyone around him fat." 125


A shiver went through him as the sun disappeared completely, the breeze off the ocean suddenly feeling cool instead of comfortable, and he pushed closer against Harry, his lover so warm. "Mmm. You're making me hungry." One huge hand dropped over Jase's shoulders, hugging him close. "We should go pick something up then and take it back to our room." He looked up into Harry's eyes. "I have a yen to feed you." Those pretty brown eyes went wide, bright and happy like he hadn't seen them in ... too long. "That sounds decadent, babe. Let's do it." Jase laughed happily and reached up for a quick kiss before slipping his sandals back on. "What kind of food do you feel like?" he asked as they headed up to the road. They had a few choices that they would pass on their way back to the B&B. "I'm easy. We can get Chinese, there's fish. There's a little sub shop over there. We could order a pizza..." "Oh, Chinese lends itself well to feeding. Pizza, not so much." He wanted cheesecake for dessert, but he had a feeling he might be out of luck there. He linked his hand with Harry's, curling their fingers together. "Chinese works. Oh, look. A fudge store. You grab dessert. I'll get supper." Oh. Oh, look at Harry, smiling and laughing and happy. "Deal!" He squeezed Harry's hand and all but skipped along to the fudge store. 126


They had peanut butter chocolate fudge, and chocolate raspberry swirl, cranberry vanilla walnut, and a dozen other flavors. He couldn't choose and wound up buying a piece of each. They had several nut brittles as well and he bought some of them, too. They were going to go into sugar overload. Bag in hand, he went back out, heading for the Chinese take-out place to meet up with Harry. Harry had two bags full of God knew what. His lover could eat. "You get dessert, babe? It smelled good in there." "I got enough dessert for an army. They're not invited though." He looped his hand in Harry's arm. "Did you get drinks? I forgot." "I got Cokes." Harry grinned, eyes on the bag of sweets. "Looks good. Might keep us 'til morning." "I got one of everything." They climbed the stairs to the pretty house they were staying at, one of the owners smiling at them as they passed him in the hall. He really liked it here. He liked the way Harry looked here. "Oh, babe. We'll be bouncing off the walls. Sounds like fun." They got the door open, the little homey room warm and lit, decorated in yellows and blues and distressed wood. Best of all, they had a little balcony with a beach view. "Shall we eat on the bed?" he asked, already stepping out of his shoes. They never ate in bed at home. "Absolutely." Harry pulled the little bedside table closer, stripped off his shirt. "This work, babe?" Bare-chested without him even asking. Jase took a moment to admire his lover. Harry worked hard to keep 127


himself in shape and Jase definitely admired the hard pecs, the ridged abdomen ... "It works just fine, Harry." Oh, look at that blush. Harry just. Damn. The longer he looked, the tighter those muscles got, the more Harry flexed. The food was forgotten as he moved in, fingers reaching to slide over Harry's belly. "Mmm.... "Harry took a step closer. "Food'll get cold." He shrugged, fingers moving, sliding over the lovely skin. "So it gets a little cold." "You..." Harry stretched for him, moaning low, a tent rising in his jeans. "Oh, no, love—you." He stroked and rubbed, his fingers loving Harry's muscles. He raised his face. Harry bent, lips covering his, the kiss deep and long, stealing his breath clean away. He melted against his lover's strength, hands moving to explore the muscles of Harry's back. Harry backed him to the bed, straddling his thighs as he sat. So careful not to put too much weight on him, it was still good, the way Harry leaned into him. Moaning into Harry's mouth, he stroked the strong back, his cock hard in his pants, pushing, trying to reach Harry. "Love you, huh?" Harry's hand cupped his head, tilting him back a little. He smiled into the most beautiful brown eyes he knew. "I know. And I love you with all my heart." With everything he was. 128


"Good." Harry nodded, drew him back down into another kiss. He lost himself in it, lost everything but the taste of Harry's mouth, the strength of Harry's body, the heat, the silk. Harry. They eased back onto the bed, Harry moving against him, rubbing nice and slow, each kiss sliding into the next. His tongue tangled with Harry's, now dueling, now dancing, always sliding and touching, tasting and loving. Harry's hand cupped his cock, giving him a little friction as they moved and rocked and rubbed. "Oh! Harry. Harry." He pushed up into Harry's hand, not even caring that they weren't naked. "Yeah. Sexy man." Harry smiled against his lips, just loving on him, loving him. Nobody made him feel like Harry did. No one ever had. "You make me want, Harry." Made him wanton. "Good." Harry's chuckle made him grin, made him reach up and hold on tighter. "I got you, babe." "You do." He wrapped one leg around Harry, pushing into that big hand. "You so do." "Need to lose the pants. Need skin." Harry didn't help, though, that hand just moving and rubbing through his clothes. He popped open his top button, but he couldn't get to the zipper with Harry's hand where it was. Groaning, he went back to humping up again, just letting it happen. Harry let up, just enough to get one hand in his pants, those fingers finally finding his skin. Both of them moaned 129


into the kiss, hungry and wanton-sounding. His hands found Harry's shoulders, one hanging on, clinging as the other moved over Harry's muscles. His hips moved, pushing his cock along Harry's hand. "Feels good." Harry was watching, admiring him, his cock, the way they looked together. "Feels amazing, love." He found one of Harry's nipples and tugged it until it drew up to a hard little point. "Yeah." Harry's muscles rippled, that amazing belly going tight as a board. His fingers pushed their way between them and he fumbled at Harry's pants, tugging the button open. "Jason." Harry was hard as stone and leaking, cock wettipped and so hot. All for him. "God, you're hot." He squeezed Harry's cock, his ass clenching. "Make love to me, Harry." "Uh-huh. Anything you want, Jase." Harry swarmed over the top of him, hands pushing at his clothes. He loved Harry's weight on top of him. "You, Harry. I want you." He helped in the getting naked arena, and soon they were skin on skin from head to toe. "Oh. Oh, Jason. Yeah. I need this." Harry grinned at him, settling between his legs. "Need you." He spread wider, tilting his hips and offering himself. "Right here, love. Take me." "We need ... is there slippery stuff?" Harry's hips started moving straightaway. "Uh-huh. Somewhere." 130


He grabbed one of Harry's hands, tugging it up to his mouth. Meeting Harry's eyes, he sucked a couple fingers in, tongue sliding over Harry's skin. "Oh. Oh, babe, I..." Harry's eyes rolled, deep moans filling the air. He kept sucking, going down on Harry's fingers like they were Harry's cock. "Oh. Oh, fuck. Jason. Babe. Come on." Those fingers pulled out with a pop and Harry was reaching down, trying to slick him up. He pulled his knees up, and reached down, guiding Harry's hand. He couldn't remember the last time Harry'd wanted so badly. A thrill went through him. Harry's fingers pushed in deep, spreading him quickly, surely. He gasped, hands sliding to Harry's shoulders as he rode those fingers. "Pretty." Harry watched, leaning down to lick or nuzzle every now and again. Oh, Harry did make him feel wonderful, inside and out. "You now, Harry. Please, I need." Harry nodded, groaned, then that fat prick pressed against him, spreading him and filling him right up. A low groan tore out of his throat, his eyes rolling in his head. "God. Harry." "Yeah. Yeah, babe. Good." Harry's head dropped to his shoulder, Harry pushing into him, again and again. He rolled up into each thrust, groaning and moaning, letting Harry know just how good it felt. The bed springs were creaking and groaning, that old bed just singing with each movement they made. It felt so good, all of it, and he opened 131


his mouth to say so, nothing but happy moans coming out. Good enough. Harry just nodded, kept moving. Kept making love to him. He could believe it was all going to be okay.

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Chapter Sixteen Harry stretched out on the chaise chair that was on the little balcony, the morning sun hitting him and keeping the wind from being too cold. They'd had a good time—they'd eaten and laughed, made love and wandered. Hell, they'd even gone to the movies, and he hadn't done that in a hundred years. His Jason had some amazing damn ideas. He adjusted the little blanket he had over his legs, pulled his hat brim down, and dozed, waiting for Jason to get back from whatever he'd wandered to do. The door to their room closing roused him enough that he wasn't startled when Jason came out onto the balcony. "Are you asleep, love?" Jase asked quietly. "Nah, babe. I'm just enjoying the sun." "I found pretzels! They're still warm." Jase ignored the free chair in favor of Harry's lap, and opened the paper bag he was carrying. "Oh..." He got the blanket wrapped around them both, opened his mouth for a bite. "Gimme gimme." Laughing, Jase pulled out one of the pretzels and broke off a nice sized chunk, hand-feeding him. He was getting spoiled. Still, they only had one more day of it, he could handle it. Oh. Butter and salt. Jase licked the salt off his own fingers, and then tore off another chunk to feed him. "I found a little knickknack shop, too. They had some of the neatest little things made out of broken tile and glass." 133


"Yeah? You find something you wanted?" One benefit of his current job was that he made enough to spoil Jase, just a little. "I did! There was this mirror with glass mosaic all around it. It would look amazing in the front hall." "Did you get it?" He nibbled Jason's fingers, relaxed down to the bone. "I did," Jase admitted, grinning sheepishly. "Cool." He chuckled and took a kiss, just eating Jason's laughter right up. Jason opened right up for him, tongue sliding along his own, his lover's eyes bright and happy as they stared up at him. "You about ready to get back to our real life, babe?" He wasn't, not really, but there wasn't a choice. Jase pouted softly. "No. I'm liking this little break, Harry. I feel like I'm falling in love with you all over again." He rewarded that with a kiss, tongue sliding over Jason's lips. "It's been good, to not worry a little bit." "It's been wonderful. Like stepping out of time." Jase sighed. "I suppose we have to go back though." "Yeah. You'd miss the house. I know you miss Sammy." Hell, he loved his job. Loved it. "No, you're right, I love our house, our lives, our friends. We needed this, though." "We did. We should come back again, maybe after the new year, just to get our bearings back." "Oh, it's a date." Jase smiled up at him. "We going to have everyone in for Christmas this year, love?" 134


"Whatever you want, babe. I'm easy." His dad would show up regardless. "Sammy'll help me with the cooking. Maybe we can set up Peter's mom and your dad." Jase giggled. "Oh, lord. Could you see that?" Actually, yeah, he could. Mom'd been gone for twenty-five years and Dad hadn't gone looking. Angela was a good-looking lady. "Peter would probably murder you, but, yes, I can. I can't believe we haven't done something like this before." "Well, we can just let them hang out. You can't set up your folks..." Could you? "Okay, love. But I'm doing the seating plan and I'm putting them next to each other." Jase grinned up at him, lips twitching. "You and Peter would be brothers." For whatever reason, that tickled the living fuck out of him and he got to laughing, almost dumping Jason off his lap. "Oh, I do love your laugh, Harry. It makes me glad." Jase kissed him on the nose. "So where are you taking me for supper?" "Romeo's. Pasta and cheesecake, garlic and mozzarella and wine." Dressy and live music. Jase would love it. "Oh, that sounds great. I brought your grey suit—you can wear it. My stud." "So long as I don't have to wear a tie, I'll be happy to." "I didn't pack a single tie, love. Not one." His babe knew him. He grinned and stole another bite of pretzel. "I hear they have the best lasagna on the coast." 135


Jase laughed. "Oh, don't let Sammy hear that. He makes that claim himself." "Oh, man. You know Sammy's is damn good." He grinned, rubbed noses with Jase. "He should've gone into catering." Jase shook his head, arms looping around his neck. "Nah. He cooks for the people he loves; he'd freak out if he had to do it to order. Besides, he loves procuring pieces for people." His lover wriggled in his lap. "You think this place we're going to will have tiramisu?" "Mmm. I hope." He did love how dessert made Jase wiggly. "Me, too." Jase shifted, legs going to either side of his, hips pushing against him. "I want you to remember this." "I will. Do. Am. Whatever." God, Jason smelled good. "Good." Jason's hands framed his face, his lover taking a kiss, and then another, all warm and close. "Love you, babe. No matter what happens next week. You know that, yeah?" Jase nodded. "I do know it. And you know that I love you. You remember that." "I do." They sat together a second, forehead to forehead, staring at each other. This next week was going to suck big hairy donkey balls. "Then everything will be all right," Jase murmured. "Yeah. Yeah, babe. Everything will be all right." No matter what he had to do.

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Chapter Seventeen Peter was not clock watching. Nor was he pacing. Or fretting. Or worrying. He had not left the shop early to come home. And his first words to Samuel had not been "Any news yet?" He'd said hello and given Samuel the kiss he deserved and then he'd asked. He forced himself to stop moving and stood at the kitchen sink, looking out over the backyard. The phone rang and Samuel ran for it, the lean face going a sickly grey after only a few words. He strode over, one arm going around Samuel's waist as he grabbed the phone. "This is Peter," he growled into the receiver. "Oh, Peter! You have to come." It was Jason. He sounded like he'd been crying. He sounded terrible. He squeezed Samuel tight against him. "What happened?" "Two of them were sent back to jail, but the other one, the ringleader, he got sent to the mental hospital. Harry went ballistic. Peter, I think he's going to hurt himself, or someone else. He's been drinking since two, and he won't listen to me. Please, you have to come." Jason's voice got shriller with each word, bordering on hysterical. "All right, Jason, I want you to tell me where you are, and then I want you to calm down and wait for me." He could hear Jason take one hiccupping breath after another, some country song blaring in the background. "The Rusty Nail, down on Walker Street." 137


"I'm on my way. I'm giving the phone back to Samuel now." He handed the receiver over. "Talk to him." "You don't want me to come with you?" Samuel's eyes were huge. He shook his head, very sure about that. "No, I want you to stay here and talk to Jase on the phone, try and calm him down. I have my cell. Call me if Harry leaves or something else happens before Jase tells you I'm there." He gave Samuel a hard kiss. "It's going to be all right." Samuel nodded, dark eyes on his. "Go get them, bring them here, love. I'll make coffee and get the guest room made up." "Coffee and water, babe. And make sure we've got lots of Tylenol in the house." He gave Samuel another quick, hard kiss, confident that Samuel would be able to keep it together until they had Jase and Harry safely settled. "I love you." "Love you, Peter. Be careful." He got a smile and then his lover was on the phone. "Now, Jase. You have to breathe. Peter's coming. Right now." He squealed the tires as he left the driveway, intent on getting to the bar before Harry did something stupid. Well, more stupid than getting so blotto he had Jason panicking this badly. He couldn't believe they'd let one of the assholes out of prison. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel and shouted "Fuck!" at the top of his lungs. There. Now he had to concentrate on getting Harry home. The trip seemed to take forever, even if his watch insisted that he'd made record time as he pulled up outside the front 138


of the bar, leaving his hazards on. He headed for the door, not quite running. "...don't give me another motherfucking shot, I'm going to get nasty." Harry was swaying, looking like someone he didn't know as one hand slammed into the bar. Jesus Christ. He scanned the bar, glad it was early enough not to be busy yet. God knew what Harry might have done if the place had been busy—the man was spoiling for a fight. "Looks to me like you've already hit nasty," he noted, approaching Harry slowly. "Peter!" Jase came rushing over. "Oh, thank God." "I told you. I told you that I needed to be alone after." Harry turned, growling, heading for him. "They let the worst one out of jail. You know what that motherfucker did to me? You have any idea? And they let him go to a hospital!" He stood his ground, pushing Jason behind him. He knew Harry wouldn't hurt Jase, but he didn't want Jase getting caught in the middle either. "I know, Harry. It sucks." "Sucks?" Harry stared at him, the look part fury, part hurt. "I'm going to kill the motherfucker. I'm going to make him scream and beg, and then I'm going to blow his brains out of the top of his head." The guy should be so lucky. Peter's plans involved letting him bleed to death from his prick. "All right, Harry. But first you're going to come home with me. Come on, you're scaring Jason." His words seemed to calm Harry down, those eyes holding his. "I want to hurt him." 139


"I know. Pins in his eyeballs and his balls in a vise. I do get it, Harry. Let's go." He dared to reach out, fingers wrapping around Harry's arm. His main goal right now was getting Harry home. "I cain't drive, man. I've had a few." He nodded. He could see that. "That's okay, Harry. I'll drive. I'm parked right out front." Hopefully not getting a ticket. "Jason. Babe?" Harry turned to grab Jason, almost falling flat on his ass in the process. "Right here, Harry, I'm right here." And fluttering like crazy, poor Jase looked worried as hell. "All right, Harry. He's here; let's go." "I. Wait. Our car's here. I don't. I mean. Wait." Harry looked confused as hell, and that frustrated anger was right there, right at the surface. "Jason will drive it home." "I will. You go with Peter and I'll be right behind in our car." Jason hovered next to Harry, nearly vibrating. "I. Okay. Okay. You be careful. They're going to let him in a hospital. A hospital!" Jason's miserable eyes met his. "Go on, Jase. Get the car and follow me back to our place, Samuel's expecting us." He got hold of Harry's arm and got his friend out the door, the foot traffic starting to pick up. "He's a sick fuck, Harry. They won't ever let him out of the hospital." "He. That motherfucker was laughing at me. He enjoyed it." Harry's head rolled on his shoulders. Dying was too good for the asshole. 140


The car was right there and he pulled Harry along, opened the passenger door. "In you go." Harry started to get in the car, but stopped halfway, staring at him. "I'm going to kill him, Laffy. I swear to God." "I believe you." He was going to kill the people who'd let this happen, the ones who'd signed off on sending the motherfucker to the mental hospital instead of back to jail. Harry shouldn't have to go through all this again, or poor Jase. None them should have to. They'd already lived this particular nightmare. "You're a good friend, Laffy." Harry nodded, relaxed, and got into the car. Peter sighed with relief and nodded to Jase, watching Jase cross the street to where he'd parked the car. "I try, Harry," he finally replied, pulling the seat belt out. "You think you can get this done up on your own?" "Uh-huh." It took a bit, but Harry managed, big hands clumsy. "Good man." He closed the door and went around, looking up and nodding when he saw Jase had his car started and was waiting to pull out and follow him. His own seat belt in place, he pulled out into the road. "Let's get you home." "I can't ... What am I going to fucking do? I'll never fucking sleep again." Peter couldn't believe they were going through this again. His fingers tightened on the wheel. It wasn't right. Harry and 141


Jason were good people, the best he knew, and they deserved so much better than this. "Jase'll help you sleep, Harry. And by 'home' I meant my and Samuel's place. We want you both close." "I don't. What if he gets out? What if he gets Jason? Sammy? He made me scream; he'd kill them." Harry was muttering, head tossing a little. "Harry, you need to calm down." Peter winced as the words left his mouth. "I mean you need to be reasonable. I'm sure they've put him in a full security facility. We can even go check, you and I, once you've..." Calmed down. Sobered up. "I'll check. I'll go in and beat that lousy motherfucker to death. Break him until he screams." "And then they'll put you in jail, and that'll kill Jason. You're going to need another plan." "I won't go to fucking jail." "I know, Harry. I know." Harry wasn't going to beak into the mental institution and kill this guy, either, so he figured they were safe on the jail front. "I wish there was something I could say, Harry, that would make it all better." He felt helpless enough, he could only imagine how much more impotent the whole thing made Harry feel. "Tell me you'll take care of Jason if something happens to me." "Harry, nothing is going to happen to you." He was not having this conversation. "Tell me you'll take care of him."

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Peter sighed. "Of course I'll take care of him, Harry. Just as I'd expect you'll take care of Samuel if anything ever happened to me." "Yeah. Yeah, I would. I would. He's a sweetheart." Harry closed his eyes, slumped a little. "They both are." He reached over and rubbed Harry's arm. "We're almost there, and then you can collapse properly, all right?" He wanted to make sure they got lots of water into Harry first, though, or Harry was going to have a hell of a hangover in the morning. And Harry didn't need that on top of everything else. "I haven't eaten, man. I need another shot, I'm losing my buzz." "Oh, I imagine Samuel will be able to provide you with food. I asked him to make sure there was plenty of coffee available, but I know my Samuel. He'll have more food laid out than we can possibly manage." They were almost there, too. He double-checked behind him, making sure Jason's car was still there. "Yeah. He's a little caretaker, that one. Took care of Jase. Then me. Then you." Then Jason and Harry again when those bastards had first done this to Harry. "It's what he does. And he'll be in full mother hen mode," he warned as they pulled up into his driveway, Jase right behind them. "Fair warning." "I know. I know." In fact, there came Samuel, right out the front door, fluttering. 143


"Come on, Harry. Let's go get you and Jase fed and loved on. It'll help you both." He patted his old friend's leg, hoping that friendship and love would go a long way toward easing Harry. He could hear Samuel, greeting Jason and encouraging them inside. Rain was beginning to fall, steady and cold, and Samuel was saying things like hot coffee and stew and warm baths. He went around and opened the door for Harry, offered his hand. "I ... I don't want to be nice right now, Laffy. I'm so fucking angry." "I don't expect you to have daisies growing out of your ass, Harry. Just come inside and let Samuel feed you and Jase bathe you. The rest of it isn't going anywhere." "Okay." Harry stood up, listing badly. Between them they got the big man up into the house, the door locked behind them. He led Harry into the kitchen, knowing that's where Samuel would want them all to be. Sure enough, Jase, looking worn and worried, already had a cup of coffee in his hands. The coffee cup was put down on the counter, Jase coming right over as soon as they walked in. "Harry, love." "I told you not to come, babe. I told you it would be bad." Harry dragged Jason close, held on. "Sammy, get me another shot?" "Oh. Oh, Harry, I. I don't know about that. I mean. Have some water first?" 144


Peter nodded. "Some food, too." "I knew it would be bad, but I wouldn't have been anywhere else in the world, unless you were there with me, Harry." Jase buried his face in Harry's chest, just holding on. Samuel got water and bowls of thick stew and slabs of bread and a cup full of B vitamins and aspirin. Peter pushed at Harry, encouraging him forward to the closest chair at the kitchen table as Jason clung, not letting go for anything. "Eat. Eat, you guys. It'll warm you up." Samuel's hands slid along his back. "Do you need anything, love? Anything at all." "I'll have a small bowl as well, Samuel, thank you." He needed to eat, and it would make Samuel happy. "Okay." He got stew, bread, a cup of coffee, and water. Then he got a kiss, quick and gentle. "You need to eat, too." He knew what Samuel was like, knew how his lover would fuss and flutter about and make sure everyone else had eaten and not even think to eat himself. "I'm not hungry. I..." He met Samuel's eyes, one eyebrow lifting. "Maybe a bite." Indeed. He waited until Samuel had served himself and was sitting before starting his own. "Oh, this is good. Try it, Harry, you'll like it." "Smells okay." Harry was blinking slowly, and Peter figured they'd get a few bites into the big guy before he toppled. 145


They should have fed him in the living room on the couch, but they'd manage. Jason picked up the spoon and dipped it into the stew. "It looks great, Sammy. It really does." Jason brought the spoon to Harry's lips. Harry ate a bite, nodding, groaning a little. "'s good, Sammy. Shit. Shit, babe. I'm sorry." Harry grabbed Jason, growling a little. "I didn't mean to. I thought they'd keep that motherfucker in jail after what he did..." Jason held on, one hand stroking over Harry's back. "I know. We all thought that. Where he is going is like jail though, right? I mean he can't get out or anything." "It's a hospital. There's security, but ... It's not jail, babe. It's just not." "Well, we'll just petition the court to have him put back in jail, then." Jase offered Harry another bite of food. Peter sighed and worked on his own, the food warming him. It wasn't long before they were losing Harry, the worrying becoming incoherent rumbles, the big head drooping. "Jase, let's get him to the couch." Peter had a hunch they weren't going to be able to get him up the stairs. Jason nodded and slipped off Harry's lap. "Come on, love. Come into the living room." "Wan' go home." Samuel patted Harry's hand. "We're almost like home, and this is a nap, right?" "Yeah?" Harry blinked at Samuel, who nodded. 146


"I need to snuggle with Jase, and Peter just got home. Come on, rest a little." Between Peter and Jase, they got Harry up, and all three stumbled into the living room. Samuel scurried ahead to move the coffee table out of the way, and not for the first time Peter was grateful they'd chosen a very large couch. "I'll get blankets, love." Samuel scurried and Harry got settled, apologizing the entire time. "Just rest, Harry. We can sort everything out later." Jason climbed onto the couch with Harry, petting and soothing, speaking too softly for Peter to make out the actual words. When Samuel came back with the blanket, he helped his lover spread it out over their friends and then settled in the big armchair, pulling Samuel down into his lap. They would keep watch.

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Chapter Eighteen Sammy grabbed the bath oil and slicked his fingers a little before he started rubbing Jase's shoulders. The bath water was hot, filled with bubbles, and they both had a glass of white wine and a bowl of chocolates waiting for them. "He's going to be okay, honey. I promise." Sammy wasn't sure his words were true, but he believed it. Damn it. Jase nodded, but those poor shoulders were really tight and hard. "I hope so, Sammy. I kept telling him it was going to be okay, that there was no way they were going to let them out and then they ... That was the one that ... well, he was the really bad one." Jase finished on a whisper. "Well, he won't get out. He won't." As bad as Harry'd been hurt, it couldn't happen. "He better not," Jase replied fiercely. "I won't let him hurt Harry again." "No. No, none of us will. I swear." He scooted closer, legs wrapping around Jason as he hugged tight. Jason leaned back against him, head on his shoulder. "It was awful, Sammy. I didn't go in with him—I waited outside— and when Harry came out ... I thought his head was going to pop right off." "But it didn't and you coped. What if you hadn't been there? Harry needed you, and you were there." "Yeah. Yeah, he did and I was." Jase nodded, relaxing a little more against him. "I don't know what I would have done without you and Peter, though." 148


"You don't have to worry about that. We're here." Peter was watching over Harry right now, making sure the big guy slept it off. "Yeah. Yeah." Jase relaxed fully back against him. "He's still going to be pissed when he wakes up." "Yeah. But I'll be here to hug you and Peter will be here to take him to the garage and let him hit the bag and curse." "Mmm ... you give good hugs, Sammy." "Mmmhmm." They floated together, changing the water out when it threatened to get cool. "Was there chocolate?" Jase asked suddenly, and Sammy knew he'd truly started to relax. "Chocolate and wine." He grabbed a piece, reached around to feed it to Jase. Jase moaned at the taste. "Oh, this is the good stuff." "Uh-huh. My private stash. Want another?" He nuzzled Jason's nape, humming low. Jason's head tilted for him a little. "God, yes. Your stash is the best." "Mmmhmm." He fed Jason another bite, lips brushing his friend's temple. "You and Harry should spend the night. I made up the guest room." "Oh, thank you, Sammy." Jase turned and kissed him softly. He kissed Jason back, just squeezing tight. "It'll be okay." "I know. I know." Jason settled back against him, head on his shoulder. "Can we just stay here a bit longer, Sammy?" "As long as you need, Jase. I promise." They settled, floating, watching the bubbles pop. 149


Chapter Nineteen The light was strange as Jase woke up, falling over the bed in the wrong way. He blinked his eyes a few times, realizing the bed didn't feel right either, and it didn't smell like him and Harry, and the quilt was quite beautiful but not theirs, and, oh, yeah. This was Sammy and Peter's place and the whole horrible day yesterday came flooding back. He turned over, but Harry wasn't there in the bed with him. Getting dressed in a pair of pajamas Sammy'd loaned him, Jase splashed water on his face and rinsed out his mouth before heading downstairs, figuring he'd find Harry in the kitchen. Harry was gray as soot, staring into a cup of steaming coffee. Sammy nodded to him, all ruffled and looking exhausted and worn. "Peter's still in bed. I need a shower, huh? Then I'll cook." "Oh, Sammy, why don't you join Peter and get some more sleep? Harry and I know where everything is." They didn't all need to lose sleep over this. Besides, he needed for Sammy to keep it together for when he didn't. "Yeah? That'd rock, Jase. For real." He knew it was bad when Sammy didn't argue, but hurried off for the bedroom. He went over to Harry, wrapping his arms around his lover from behind. "How are you doing, love?" "Head hurts, babe. Been puking for a while. You?" 150


Jase winced. Poor Harry. "I'm sorry, love. I'm okay. Missed you when I woke up." "Yeah. I needed coffee." Red-rimmed eyes stared at him. "I'm sorry, babe. I am. If ... I mean, if you don't want to." Harry sighed, eyes closing. "I'll understand if you're scared. I'd let you have the house and get a place in the city, just in case." "What?" He pulled back a little frowning. "Harry? What are you talking about?" As if he was going to let Harry leave him. "What if he gets out? What if..." Harry groaned, took another drink. "I just want you to know I'd understand." "Well, I wouldn't." He glared up at Harry. "I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. And he's not getting out." He shook his head and moved back in to hug Harry tight. "I won't let him steal our life together, Harry. "I'm so fucking pissed off, it hurts. I just want to get in the car and drive." "Then I'll go with you." He didn't have to think about it at all. If Harry needed to go, fine. But he wasn't going alone. "I'm scared I'll pick a fight with you. I need to hurt something, scream. Something." Harry would never hurt him. He knew that like he knew how to breathe. "What about hitting the bag in Peter's garage? You can wail on it until it falls apart." "Yeah. Yeah, I think I will." Harry looked at him, eyes serious. "You stay in here, babe. Let me have a tantrum. You got my word, I won't go. I just..." Harry's lips twisted like he was in pain. "I need to believe that you still believe I can be strong." 151


"Harry, love, I don't just believe it—I know it." "Good." Harry nodded. "There are days, babe, that that's the only reason why I can do it." Then Harry walked out, the back door closing. "Oh." Jason stared at the door, twisting his fingers together. He shivered, suddenly cold. "I heard the door." Sammy was right there, solid as anything. "Where's Harry?" "Killing Henderson." He leaned into Sammy. "He's out in the garage pummeling Peter's punching bag." "Good. Good, I'll tell Peter. You and me? We'll make waffles and eggs and bacon for when they're done." He blinked back tears and nodded, giving Sammy a hard hug. Sammy believed they could get through anything as long as they had enough food. Most of the time he was right. Jase just hoped it was true this time.

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Chapter Twenty They'd made him cry. Scream. Beg. He'd fucking begged those bastards to stop. They laughed at him. Laughed at him. And now that motherfucker was going to be in a hospital with nurses to take care of him. Harry growled, imagining those crazed green eyes, pounding at the bag again and again, imagining that fucker's screams. The bag suddenly grew solid, Peter coming up to stand behind it, hold it for him so he could really let loose at it. He let himself go, hitting and pounding, not even stopping when his knuckles split, when his shoulders screamed with it. Kill them. He was going to kill them and make them pay. Peter didn't say a word, just let him go, quiet and solid. There. Finally his body betrayed him, his knees cracking on the concrete, his screams and sobs hoarse and raw. Peter wrapped around his back, holding him like he was a baby, rocking him slowly. "It's okay, Harry. It's okay." He shook his head. "Not okay. Never gonna be, man. Never." It wasn't ever going to be right again.

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Peter kept holding on. "Yes it is, Harry. It is. You lived through it. You came back from it. This was a blow, but they're still locked up; they won't hurt you again." "I want Jason." Now. Peter raised his head and called out Jason's name. The door flew open, his Jase coming in. "Oh! Harry! Harry!" Dropping onto his knees in front of him, Jase pushed into his arms, Peter backing off, hand staying on Harry's shoulder. He just leaned and sobbed, letting his lover hold him, just like Jason had before. "Harry. Oh, Harry. I love you. I love you." The words whispered between them, Jason holding on, crying with him. There. A blanket landed over them, without a word, and it almost made him smile. Sammy was such a fucking weirdo. Eventually, Jase quieted, curled up in his arms. The best thing in his whole life. He held on, his head throbbing so badly he thought it would split, his hands bruised and bloodied fists. He was just going to have to stay here forever. He thought they'd let him, too, but eventually Jase wiggled a bit, taking one of his hands and cradling it gently. "Will you let Sammy bandage you up, love?" "My ass is cold." "Well I'm not letting Sammy warm it up—I'll do that myself!" His laughter surprised him, bubbling right out. Jason kissed his knuckles. "Let's go inside, love, and get off the cold floor." 154


"Okay." Like he could move. He was a huge ball of ow. Jason and Peter helped him up, Jason's arm going around his waist. "I'm sorry, y'all." They moved together, heading for the house, the rain bitter cold. "No apologies necessary," Peter told him. "Samuel's drawing you a bath. It should help with the aches." "And Sammy made waffles and more coffee. And there's aspirin." He looked over at Sammy, who was grinning at him, shivering as the door was held open. "Weirdo." "Big goofball." "Fuzzball." "Gigantor." Jase rolled his eyes at them. "Food or bath first, love?" "Bath." He just wanted to soak. Jason nodded. "Get warm first. Good idea." "The bath's ready, lovelies. Go soak. I'll bring coffee. I need to get Peter dried off." Sammy encouraged them into the bathroom, the tub filled again. Jason began to work on Harry's buttons, pulling his shirt off. He managed to get in, moaning as he sank up to his neck. Fuck, yes. Jase stayed on the edge of the tub, picking up water in his hands and splashing it over Harry's shoulders. "I'm sorry, babe, for all that shit." "I know." Jase slid water over his face and then kissed him gently. 155


It wasn't fixed, all this shit, but it was theirs. His and Jason's. They'd figure it.

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Chapter Twenty One It was after lunch when Jason took Harry home and Sammy got the kitchen cleaned, the grocery list made. Phone calls answered. He switched the laundry over and then headed out to the garage. Poor Harry. Poor Jason. It just. It sucked. And there was only so much food he could cook. God, if he never ate again, it would be too soon. Peter was in the garage, working on an old armoire, sanding it by hand, fingers running over each section as he completed it. "I'm going to the store." Then he intended to come home, drink, and soak until he didn't have to think anymore. "Oh. Do you have to?" Peter asked, putting down the sandpaper and wiping his hands on his pants as he came over to where Sammy stood. "I mean, are we out of stuff that absolutely has to be replaced?" "No ... No, we're ... I just ... I needed something. To do." He reached up, brushed some sawdust off Peter's nose. Peter nuzzled into his touch and turned to kiss his palm. "You just need, Samuel. We both do. It's been a stressful few days." Peter's arms looped around his waist. "Let's go get cleaned up and then go to our special room. I need to see you with my marks on your skin." 157


"Yeah?" He nodded, hands sliding over Peter's shoulder. "I would love to spend the rest of the day, just us, Peter." He'd stopped being scared of asking for what he needed years ago. "Me, too." Peter's hands were warm on his hips, tugging him in closer; Peter was so very warm. "I'm so proud of you, Samuel. Jase and Harry, they needed you so much, and you were there for them." "Now I need you, so much." Lifting his face for a kiss, he pulled Peter down. Peter's lips slid over his, the touch gentle and almost chaste. Then a groan came from Peter, sounding as if it started deep inside his lover, and the kiss grew teeth, Peter's mouth opening his, tongue plunging in and taking the flavor from his mouth. He arched, rubbing against Peter, the need landing on him suddenly, so fierce he hurt. Peter turned them, pushing him up against the armoire. Their hips ground together, the kiss growing harder and harder as Peter tried to devour him whole. Sammy got one leg around Peter's hip, tugging them closer together, ass sliding on the wood. Peter's lips tugged on his lower lip, pulling and nibbling. The strong hands slid over him, the touch firm, stroking his chest, his sides. Their breath sounded loud in the garage, desperate and needy. He nodded and arched, rubbing against the bulge in Peter's trousers. Peter's hands slid down to his ass, bringing his feet off the ground. "Yours." His head fell back, a cry escaping him. "Peter!" "Undo your pants, Samuel. Tug yourself off." Peter voice was like gravel, needy and hard. 158


His mouth opened and closed, over and over, the need freezing him for a moment, just more than he could handle. With a growl, Peter's mouth latched onto his throat, sucking up a mark as his ass hit the armoire over and over again. The sting helped unlock Sammy, and he reached down, popping the button on his pants, his cock pushing into his fingers. "I need to smell you, Samuel; come for me." "Peter. Peter, love..." His balls went tight and he moaned, spunk pouring from him. "Yes. Oh, Samuel." Groaning, Peter rubbed against him, pushing him against the armoire with dull, rhythmic thumps. Then he froze, and Samuel could feel the spreading heat against him through Peter's pants. "Love." Sammy moaned, licking Peter's lips. "Yours." "Oh, yes, Samuel. Inside and out, head to toe, you are mine." Smiling, Peter straightened, and began carrying Sammy toward the back door. "And I'm going to mark you so everyone else knows it as well." "Please." Inside and out—yes. Just that. "Lock the door," Peter told him once they were through it and in the kitchen. "We won't be going out again today." "'kay." Thank God. He stretched and turned the lock. That taken care of, Peter moved quickly up the stairs, never once making him feel like he was too heavy or about to be dropped. "Love you. Need you." Now. "I know." Peter carried him into the special room that Peter had made just for him, and the door closed behind 159


them, shutting out not just the world, but everything else in their lives. In here it was just him and Peter and their need. Peter laid him across the bed, fingers sliding on his skin, stripping him quickly of his clothes. He stretched under Peter's fingers, focusing on nothing but that touch, on his lover. "Oh, yes, I want that stretch today." Peter nodded, grabbing a bit of rope and looping it around Sammy's wrists, tying them together before tying them to the top of the bed. He pulled, the scratch and burn familiar, comforting. He needed this, needed Peter. More rope was found, Peter looping one piece around his right ankle and tying it to one end of the footboard. His other ankle was bound with a second piece, which was then tied to the other end of the footboard, leaving him completely stretched out, his legs spread. Peter's eyes were hot on him, sliding over his skin like a physical touch. His cock started to fill again, ass sliding and slipping on the sheets. Peter could see him, see all of him. "Vanilla oil," murmured Peter, going to the cupboard and pulling down a bottle. "And a toy or two." He couldn't see which toys Peter'd reached for. The moan slipped out of him and he nodded, toes curling. "You haven't opened the toy box in a long time." "Hmm ... it's been too long, hasn't it?" Peter kept things hidden behind his back, and then beside the bed, eyes smiling down at Sammy. "We're going to have a good time, I promise you that." 160


"You always give me what I need, Peter. Always." There was nothing he wouldn't trust Peter with, no need. "That goes both ways, Samuel. You have my heart and my soul." Peter poured oil into one palm, then rubbed both hands together. "I know." He inhaled, the vanilla scent delicious. "Oh, that's lovely." "A lovely scent for a lovely man." Peter straddled his waist and began to rub the oil into his skin, beginning at his shoulders, massaging, touching everywhere. His eyes closed, the pleasure amazing, soothing, muscles relaxing. Oh, he was so lucky. "I love the way your skin feels under my hands," murmured Peter, fingers sliding up over his arms. "Good." He chuckled as Peter's fingers found one ticklish spot, then another. As Peter's fingers closed over his, warming them with the touch and the oil, Peter's lips slid against his, tongue slowly licking its way into his mouth. He answered as best he could, lips parting, letting Peter in, letting the sounds out. Peter's tongue slid along his own and danced over his teeth as the slick fingers moved down along his body, sliding over his ribs and teasing across his nipples again and again. Little moans and whimpers left him, his nipples beginning to harden, ache. Peter moaned into his mouth, rocking against him. There was something sexy about being absolutely naked and at Peter's mercy while his lover was still dressed. Fingers still plucking at his nipples, Peter shifted, moving to kneel between his legs. 161


"Love." Sammy arched, pulling at the ropes a bit, trying to get more, closer. "Patience, Samuel. We have all day. We have all day and all night." Peter's fingers moved down over his ribs, rubbing between them, headed for his navel. "You'll make me insane, love. All day and all night." "You're going to love it." Thumbs rubbing around his navel, Peter bent and licked at it, tickled. Sammy laughed, pulling away as he tried to catch his breath. "God, you're sexy." Reaching up, Peter stroked his cheek, ran a finger over his bottom lip. Then he was given a grin, Peter's head bending, hot mouth wrapping around his cock. "Peter!" His eyes flew open, his cry just ringing out of him. Hot. Hot. That hot mouth moved on him, Peter's head bobbing, the suction hard, lips tugging at his skin, tongue playing with the ring. His hips rolled, bucking, pushing up into Peter's lips again and again. His balls drew up, soft words filling the air. Suddenly Peter's mouth came off his cock, and a tight band wrapped around the base, cool leather that warmed quickly against his skin. "Peter ... Peter ... I ... Please..." He arched, fighting to get that mouth back. Peter took him in, sucked him for another moment or two, and then came off him again. "Patience, remember?" "P ... patience." He was going to scream. Peter nodded, eyes twinkling as he poured more oil into his hand. 162


"Love you. Evil man." He closed his eyes, tried to focus a little. Center. A soft chuckle answered him, Peter's hands moving to massage Sammy's upper thighs. "Oh..." That helped. Those thumbs dug in, rubbing deep, melting him. Peter bent again, mouth wrapping around one of his balls this time, tongue licking. "Hot." He panted, forcing himself not to tense. "Mmmhmm." The sounds vibrated around his sacs and went straight to his cock. He tugged against the ropes, deep sounds just bubbling up out of him. Peter kept licking and sucking his balls, one and then the other, as his fingers slid past them and found his hole. "Yours." He bore down as best he could, trying to beg for more. The teasing continued here, too, Peter's fingers stroking across his hole, tapping on it. He fought for a moment, then relaxed into it, breathing through his nose, letting Peter have his submission. Another hum vibrated his balls, Peter rewarding him by pushing a single, slick finger into him. "Thank you." He moaned, body letting Peter in. In and out, Peter moved that finger inside him a half dozen times before pushing a second in along with it. "More..." His belly went tight, ass clenching tight. "There will be more. Eventually." Peter nuzzled his cock. "Say it with me—patience." "P ... patience." Bastard. Beautiful bastard. 163


Those two fingers continued to stroke him inside, Peter's other hand rubbing his belly, occasionally brushing against his cock. Patience. He was going to explode. But he'd go happy. Finally—finally—a third finger slid in with the first two, the transition so smooth Sammy almost missed it. He moaned, toes curling, spreading to let Peter in deeper. "You like that, don't you? Like being spread. My fingers stretching you." "Yes. Yes, love. Love this..." "Mmm ... good." Peter's mouth surrounded his prick again, sucking hard, tongue flicking across his slit and through the ring. The fingers inside him stretched and pushed, bumping up against his gland every now and again. The need to come filled him, made him shudder, just building and building until it was near painful, and then Peter backed down. Backed down and backed off, mouth coming off his cock, fingers coming out of his ass. "Let me just warm this up a moment." "Hmm?" Warm? What? "You'll see. Or feel at least." God, Peter's eyes had a light in them, a light for him. A moment later something hard and slick slid along his inner thigh, and then pushed at his hole. "Peter?" He bore down, taking it in, for Peter. It started small and flared out in the middle, nearly as wide as Peter's cock, before tapering back down. "It's a plug," Peter murmured as he seated it. "The tip should..." Peter shifted the plug, making it hit his gland. 164


"Love!" He jerked, ass clenching around the plug. "Mmm. You're still so sensual. It's one of my favorite things about you, Samuel." Peter's hands slid on down his legs, rubbing the last of the oil into his skin. "How could I not, being with you?" Peter smiled up at him. "I have something else for you, Samuel. Something to drive you totally crazy." Oh, evil. Evil man. Yes, please. Smiling even wider, Peter leaned down and picked up something else from the floor. "I picked this up the other day. I saw it and knew it was for you." "This" turned out to be a mitt covered in fur. "Oh..." Pretty. Soft. Peter nodded. "The dark brown looks amazing against your skin." Eyes on his, Peter began to touch him with the furred mitt, starting up at his hands, sliding it against his palms, over his wrists. His eyes closed, the sensation just enough to drive him mad. "How does it feel?" Peter asked, sweeping the fur down along his right arm and then up his left. "S ... soft." His nerves were singing. "Only soft?" The touches slid around his neck, over his collarbones. "Soft. Silky. It's like heaven." "Oh, heaven's good." Peter kissed his lips, tongue stroking across his skin. The mitt slid down over his right nipple, a barely there touch to begin with, and then a touch harder, a bit more there. 165


"Peter. Peter, that's sweet." He arched, tugging at the ropes. "Good." His other nipple was teased, Peter grabbing it between two fur-covered fingers, tugging, pinching through the softness. Sammy chuckled and gasped, all in one breath, his nipple drawing up tight, beginning to ache. Peter bent and mouthed his nipple, mitted fingers playing with the other one. The touches were so different, but echoed each other, made his nipples zing. He relaxed and tensed, sensations cycling through him over and over. Peter's tongue stayed on his nipple as the mitted hand moved, sliding along his ribs and tickling across his belly. He gasped and groaned, laughed a little. Then Peter bit his nipple and he jerked, bucking against the ropes. The fur slid along his hip and down to his balls, tickling for a moment before the touch became firmer, the rubbing of the fur almost as maddening as the lighter touches. "Peter. Peter, that's insane. Really. I swear." "Yeah? What about this?" Peter rubbed beneath his balls, slid the fur along his crack, and nudged the plug. He shuddered, grinned. "That almost tickled." "Hmm ... that's not what I was going for..." Peter rubbed along the same path again, harder this time, and the plug bumped up against his gland as it was jostled. "Peter. Love. Sweet." He nodded, rubbing back, working his gland. Peter laughed. "Oh, pushy, pushy." Still, the mitt kept pressing, giving him something to rub against. 166


"Uh-huh. Feels so good. So very good, Peter." He gasped, rolled. Begged. "Better than this?" Peter asked, mitted hand wrapping around his prick and tugging. Like he could answer that. All he could do was gasp, hips straining to fuck that fur-covered hand. "Oh, Samuel. You're stunning." Peter's mouth closed over his, tongue fucking his lips, hand working his cock hard. Everything in him strained and, even with the cock ring, he came, cock pulsing and jerking, fighting to push his spunk out. "Oh, yes. Stunning." Peter slipped off the cock ring, mitted hand still moving on his prick. He couldn't talk, just nodded and blinked and moaned and felt. The gentle, soft touches suddenly disappeared, Peter shifting to straddle his shoulders, prick pushing at his lips. Oh, yes. Please. He opened wide, this act bringing them closer together, making them both happy. Peter tasted of salt and musk and like his lover, the long cock sliding on his tongue. Sammy just let himself get lost in it, sucking and pulling and swallowing away. Peter rained words down on him, voice growing more and more hoarse until his prick swelled, tip hitting the back of his throat and spraying. Sammy swallowed hard, refusing to lose a drop. His. His Peter. His home. Panting, Peter kept moving slowly, cock sliding in and out and then finally simply out. "Samuel." Just his name, but so 167


full of emotion, Peter said it all in that one word, gave him everything. Yes. Yes. "Yours." "Oh, yes. Mine." Peter leaned up and released his wrists from the headboard, though they were left tied together. Then his feet were released and Peter lay down, tugging him into his lover's arms. He snuggled in, happy down in his bones. "Thank you, love." "You're welcome, Samuel. And thank you." A kiss pressed against the top of his head. "I love you." "Love you." It was easy, to relax. To melt. To let Peter hold him as he fell asleep.

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Chapter Twenty Two Jase put the last of the glasses away, and dumped out his bucket of water in the sink. He rinsed it out and refilled it, pouring in some dishwashing liquid. The entire kitchen was sparkling—he only had one cupboard, the one at the end, left to clear out and wash. Yesterday he'd cleaned the den from top to bottom, putting all his nerves and worries into it. Today was the kitchen. He just couldn't stand waiting for Harry to come home every day, not knowing how his lover was feeling, how Harry'd managed the day. So he just didn't think about it. Well, the house had never been so clean. At least not since Harry had first been attacked. Oh, and he was thinking about it again. Jase plunged his cloth into his bucket and started scrubbing the outside of the end cupboard as if it were that terrible, awful man. "Honey? Jase?" Sammy's head popped in the back door. "I picked up some scones at the bakery on my way home from my appointment. You want half?" "Oh, Sammy! Hi!" He was thrilled for the distraction, especially in the form of his best friend. He put the wet cloth back into the bucket and wiped his hands on his pants, going to give Sammy a hug. "And sure, we'll take some." "Cool. Man, you should come to the house and help me when you're done." Sammy kissed his cheek. "No substitute work right now, huh?" 169


He sighed. "No. Everyone's disgustingly healthy and working hard in the classroom. I suggested they needed to send some people out for extra training or something." They didn't need the money—Harry made enough for them to live on—but it would have been something to do that required his full attention. "How are you doing, Sammy? And Peter?" "I'm fine. Peter's busy with the store. Same old, same old." Those familiar eyes looked around. "How're you?" Jase shrugged. "All right." It wasn't completely a lie. "Liar." Sammy pushed into his arms, squeezing tight. "Oh, Sammy." He hugged back, letting his eyes close and letting everything go for a moment. Sammy was so easy to be with. "I'm right here, honey. Poor love." Sammy held on, walked them into the living room. "It's just so hard, Sammy, having to watch him go through this all over again. And I can't do anything to make it better." He was sniffling and whining, holding on tight. "You're here. You love him. That has to help." "I hope so, Sammy, I really do. I just feel so helpless. And what can I say that he'll believe? I kept telling him it would be all right, and then they let that animal out of jail!" He felt let down by the system; he could only imagine how much worse it was for Harry, not only the victim here, but working within that system. "That's not your fault. Not at all. You didn't lie to him; the guy should still be in jail."

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"I know." They sat together on the couch, and he curled into Sammy, let his best friend be strong for him for a while. "I mailed a letter today. I hope Harry won't be upset by it." "A letter? To who?" "The superintendent of prisons. The governor. Someone should be able to do something about this injustice." "Oh, good for you." Sammy nodded, pushed closer, clapping. "Good for you, honey!" "I couldn't just sit here and not do anything anymore, Sammy. Harry is such a good person and works every day to help other people. It just isn't fair." He took a deep breath and changed the topic. "Hey, are you and Peter doing the house up for Halloween? It's a big deal in the neighborhood." "I was hoping you'd help. Maybe we could go shopping and goof off on Harry's next day off, all of us." "Oh, wouldn't that be fun? Harry and I are doing a Day of the Dead theme this year. Lots of skeletons." He paused for a moment. "And none in the closet." "Have. Have you. I mean, are things okay between the two of you?" He shook his head, biting his lower lip. "I've sucked him off a couple of times in the middle of the night to help him sleep, but we haven't really done more than kiss and make out a little. He's just been so pissed off, and he doesn't want to put that on me, you know?" "Yeah, but ... don't you think that ... I mean, Jase, you two need to connect, even if it's not sex at all."

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"I know. I just ... I'm scared of doing the wrong thing, of upsetting him even more. I've let him know I'm here for him, that I want him ... What do you think I should do?" Sammy stopped, really looked at him. "I think you have to stop being scared, honey. He's scared. Real scared. I think you have to be ... I don't know. Not strong, but maybe be normal?" "I can't just pretend it isn't happening, Sammy." But maybe he could see where his friend was coming from. "Do you think ... should I seduce him?" "Would you have before? I mean, before the abduction?" "If it had been a while since we'd made love? Or if he was grumpy about something." He nodded. "Yeah. I'd call you up and have you help me plan a great supper and get the bedroom all ready with soft sheets and chocolates and stuff." He grinned. "You know, like you've helped me before." "Well, then, yeah. I think you should. I think you have to stop treating him like he's broken, Jase." "That's not what I'm doing! Is it?" He had been tiptoeing around Harry, letting the anger and pain have their head. "Well, sort of. You keep treating him like he just came home, kind of, and he didn't. He's home." He nodded, mind already racing on ways he could welcome Harry home tonight, on what he could do to make the evening open to reconnecting, making out, and making love. To being together. "Wine and cookies for supper in front of the fire—what do you think?" "I think that sounds perfect, Jase. I think that sounds like it used to." 172


He nodded. "You're absolutely right. Will you help me make the cookies, Sammy? I saw this recipe for cinnamon crunchers. If we hurry, everything can be ready before he comes home this afternoon." He was eager to get started again. "You know it, Jase. Whatever you need." "I need my life back. And so does Harry." He kissed Sammy and popped up, feeling enthusiastic for the first time days.

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Chapter Twenty Three Man, his shoulders were tight. He'd spent a good long time in the gym before showering and heading home, and he was sore. It was a good fucking sore, but still sore. Harry headed up the back steps, wondering what Jase had been up to. "Hey, babe. I'm home. You want to order pizza tonight?" Jase met him at the door, wearing little more than a robe, the thick burgundy velour looking soft and cozy. "Actually, I've got something planned." Jase's hands slid over Harry's chest and up to his shoulders, holding on as his lover's face tilted up for a kiss. "Yeah?" He leaned down automatically, kissing Jason hello, moaning at the flavor of cinnamon on those sweet lips. Jase's lips lingered on his, finally, reluctantly ending the kiss. "Yeah. You should get out of your workout clothes. Your robe is in the living room. Do you need to shower first?" "No. No, I showered at the gym. I'm all soaped and scrubbed." What was Jase up to? Lord, he hadn't seen that look in those pretty eyes in forever. "Okay, you go and change into your robe and open the wine. I'll bring out the food." Jase pushed up for another kiss, his whole face lit up with eagerness and need. "Are we celebrating something?" Had he forgotten something? "Yes—I love you." 174


"Love you, babe." He grinned, locked the back door, and headed in to the front room. Oh, man. There was a fire, his robe, the old sofa covered in blankets. He stripped quickly, putting his robe on and opening the bottle of wine for Jason, wondering what was going on. A few minutes later, Jase came in, carrying a tray with a plate of cookies and a bowl of whipped cream. "Supper. Not very healthy, I know, but I was feeling decadent." "Cookies and wine?" He chuckled, shook his head, and held open his arms. "Sounds perverse. I approve." "There's whipped cream, too." Jase climbed into his lap, cuddling in and pressing kisses to his neck. He chuckled, poured Jason a glass of wine. "You're warm." "I've been cooking, had the oven on." Jase peeked up at him from beneath long lashes. "Been thinking about you." "You've had me for years." He couldn't still be all that. "Yes, and you still light the fire in my oven." Jase accepted the wine glass, snuggling in close. "Flatterer." He chuckled, took a cookie and dipped it in the cream. Oh. Decadent. "Uh-huh. It's easy, look what I have to work with." Jase leaned up and licked some whipped cream from the corner of his mouth. Who was this and what happened to his pinched, worried lover? He wondered about half a second and then pushed close, the kiss sweet as fuck. "Mmm..." Jase moaned into his lips and he heard the clink of Jase's wine glass setting on the coffee table just before Jase's arms wrapped around his neck. 175


Oh, the flavor of the wine was heady and his favorite. He'd know it anywhere. It tasted so good on Jason's lips, especially mixed with the cinnamon. The kiss lingered, until Jase ended it, reaching for another cookie, dipping it in cream and offering it up to him. He licked the cream off, moaning low at the look in Jason's eyes. Jason bit the other end of the cookie as he started eating it, eyes holding his. And was that a small whimper? He groaned, their lips meeting as they ate, the kiss inevitable. Jase picked up another cookie, fingers trembling now as it was offered over. "Mmm. Good." He ate this one faster, nibbling at Jason's fingertips. Jason licked his own lips, eyes on Harry's mouth. "Is that enough? Are you full yet?" "Hmm? I want more." He grabbed Jason's hips, tugged him closer. "More of you." Jason threw a leg over Harry's hip, settling in his lap, arms around his neck. "Oh, good. Because I'm starving for you." Yes, he could see that in Jason's eyes, the need there allowed out, Jase almost glowing with it. "Starving, are you?" He leaned back, dragging Jason over the top of him. "Come on, then." Jason moaned, fingers moving to untie both their robes and wriggling until he got them open so they were skin on skin. "Mmm." They were both hard as rocks, both shifting to rub away and hump each other. 176


Jason's kisses got harder, tongue pushing into his mouth again and again. "Want you, Harry." "Yeah. Yeah, babe." He nodded, opening up, a little dizzy from the kisses. "Gonna do me, Harry? I haven't felt you inside me in so long." "Uh-huh." Whatever Jason needed. Anything. Jason beamed at him and reached beneath the quilts, coming up with a brand new tube of lube. Oh, his baby had been planning this. "Look at you..." He chuckled, bucked up when Jason's fingers slicked his cock. "Like what you see, Harry?" Jason asked, going up onto his knees and reaching back to slick himself up. "Uh. Uh-huh." He was going to bust, just from the sight. Jase beamed at him, eyes hot as he slicked himself up, cock jerking and bobbing. "Come on, baby. Ride me." Now. Before he blew. Jase shuddered and settled over Harry's prick, reaching back to guide it to the hot little hole. Moaning, his baby pushed back, bore down, and took him in. "Jason." Oh, shit. Perfect. Just perfect. "Good." "Yes." Jason hissed the word, fingers curling on his chest. Another shudder shook his baby, Jason settling on his hips, his cock so deep, held so tight. "Love you." Hot. Hot. Harry's eyes rolled, his heart slamming in his chest.

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"Yes," Jase said again. "You, too, Harry." Then his baby began to move, Jason moaning, body holding tight to his cock, the drag against it amazing as Jason rose up. His hands landed on Jason's hips, adding his strength to the mix, moving Jason on his cock, giving them both what they needed. Sweet noises came from Jason, as if pushed out by Harry's cock. Faster and faster they moved, the pleasure rising. He reached down, grabbed Jason's hand, and wrapped their joined fingers around Jason's prick, rubbing steady and firm. "Harry!" Jase screamed for him, ass going tight around his prick. It only took a couple more thrusts and Jason was coming, spilling over their hands and milking his cock. Two hard thrusts later and he was shooting, filling Jason up, head tossing as he sobbed. Jason collapsed onto his chest, still holding Harry's cock tight inside. Soft pants and gasps blew warm air over his skin, Jason's fingers curling against him. "Hey. Good ... good evening." He couldn't stop grinning. Jase grinned and wriggled, gasping as that moved Harry's cock inside his baby's body. "Hey, love." "You look like you had a decent day." Jase looked up, chin resting on his hands. "Mmmhmm. I cleaned the kitchen top to bottom. And then I got ready for my lover to come home." "Sounds like a lovely day." Harry leaned up, took a kiss. He loved to see those eyes happy. 178


"The best part was when you came home." "Yeah. Yeah, babe. That is usually the best part. I mean, clean house, horny lover. Cookies. What's not to love?" Jase giggled, the laughter moving him inside the sweet body. "Oh. Harry." "Yep. Your Harry." God, he felt good. Peaceful. He fucking approved. "Are you still hungry, Harry? We could order that pizza if you are." Jase started moving, rocking just a little. "Mmmhmm. After." After this. This was first. "Okay." Jase kept rocking, eyes watching his, cock hot and hard again between them. "You look hungry." He reached down, started working Jason's prick. "You remember the first time we did this?" "You mean when you finally gave in to my shameless begging?" "Yep. When I finally let you seduce me." They'd made love for three solid days, it seemed like. "Mmm ... it was glorious," murmured Jase, rocking a little harder, breath catching. "Uh-huh. We tried every position in the book." "We might have even invented a few." Jase gave him a grin, amused and wild, eyes shining. "You think?" He remembered a few wild moments, a few orgasms that rocked his world. "Uh-huh." Though honestly, Jase didn't look like he was thinking at all, his eyes glazing over as his hips rolled. "Yeah. That's right." So fucking pretty, his lean, blond lover. 179


"Harry," Jase murmured. Then he said it again, leaning up on his arms and starting to ride. "Mmmhmm. Just like that." His eyes crossed and closed, pleasure washing over him. Moaning with almost every breath, Jase moved faster and faster, urging them both toward another orgasm. He let everything go, moaning and moving, just lost in it. In Jason. In them. "Love you," Jase whispered, meeting his eyes. "Love you. Love you. Come on, babe. Let's do this." Jase laughed, the sound wild and happy, and ending on a shrill gasp as Jase's body clenched down, the long cock in Harry's hand spraying heat. The muscles around his prick jerked and rippled, just jacking him off, and he shot, teeth snapping together. Jase collapsed down onto him again with a groan. "Babe." He just held on. Tight. Jase's hand patted his shoulder, something he couldn't quite make out mumbled to him. So he just nodded, relaxed. Whatever it was, he was sure it was good.

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Chapter Twenty Four Peter was sure his feet were going to fall off. They'd done the market. They'd done two malls. And then they'd done the trendy strip with its little store after little store filled with bits and pieces, knickknacks and tchotchkes. Finally, well past six, Jase and Samuel declared the great Halloween decoration excursion finished. "Food," Peter had informed them, marching them over to a restaurant with the dubious name of Orangutan Sid's. He sat, sighing as he got off his feet. "Who's idea was this?" Samuel's eyes flashed over at him, thin cheeks flushing. "Mine. I'm sorry, Peter. I just wanted us all to have fun..." "Oh, I'm not really upset, Samuel. My feet hurt, mind you, but watching you and Jase browse and power shop and do your thing has been fun." He reached out and stroked Samuel's cheek. "You know how I get when I'm hungry." Harry groaned and gagged dramatically. "Just whap his ass and get it over with, Sammy." Samuel chuckled, leaned into his touch. "It's way more fun the other way 'round, Harry." "Oh. Gag. Gag. I can't hear you. La la la." "Mmm ... I owe you a good beating for being grumpy, don't I?" He held Samuel's eyes. Jase gasped softly, and then giggled. Samuel nodded, eyes just warm as anything. "I think you might. After you eat." 181


"You should probably wait until you're home, too," added Jason. Peter laughed and nodded. "Probably." "Definitely. I will so arrest your scary asses." Harry gave them both a look, eyebrows arched. He held it, too ... for about thirty seconds. Then they all dissolved into laughter, the tension fading completely. "Dinner's on me," Peter told them, waving the waitress over. "Thanks, man." Harry grinned over, nodded. "We'll bring doughnuts and coffee tomorrow and help decorate." Samuel wrinkled his nose. "I'll make something, Harry. Doughnuts are sort of ... scary." "Careful, Samuel, he might have to arrest you for a remark like that. I think cops believe doughnuts are sacred." That had Jase giggling, and Peter winked. Jason and Harry both seemed far more at ease today. "Yeah, yeah. Me and Laffy? We deserve greasy doughnuts. You and Jase can watch your girly figures." "Oh, I don't know, Harry. I enjoy watching Samuel's girly figure myself..." Harry laughed hard, reaching to pat Samuel's ass. "It's not bad. Not Jason's. But not bad." He ignored the growl that wanted out, the automatic "hands off, he's mine." He knew Harry was just teasing. Still. Samuel was his. "No, his belongs to me." He hadn't meant to say that out loud. Harry rolled his eyes, but Samuel scooted closer, nodding. "Yes, love." 182


"Mmm..." He put his arm around Samuel and took a kiss, slow and easy, the taste familiar and right. "Will you two be good, please?" Harry groaned. "Those two never keep it in their pants." "They haven't been arrested yet," Jason pointed out, sounding amused. Peter licked Samuel's lower lip and looked over at Harry, one eyebrow raised. "Maybe you should give it a try." "Being arrested? No thanks." He chuckled. "I meant the not keeping it in our pants part." As if Harry didn't know. He slid his hand around to pinch Samuel's ass, a little promise of what was to come. "You two are trouble waiting to happen." Harry's words were dry, but Samuel's gasp was sweet. He gave Harry an unrepentant grin and waved his hand at the waitress again, as she'd made a beeline past their table when he and Samuel had started kissing. "We'd like margaritas, please. And some of your cheese dip to start with." "I'd like a big glass of water as well, please." Harry's voice was firm, quiet, and Jason just stared. The man hadn't turned down the drink outright. Well, well. Aside from the evening after the parole board had let Henderson out of prison in favor of the mental hospital, Peter hadn't seen Harry drink since he'd first been assaulted. None of them said a word about it. Not one word. Harry only drank about half over their supper, but he did drink, staying loose and easy. They had dessert, too, all 183


choosing something different and sharing across the table amid laughter and spilling. Jason was leaning against Samuel, Harry smiling at them both with a bemused expression. "They're quite the pair, aren't they?" He kept his voice low, not disturbing the two of them. "They always have been, man. The best of friends." Harry just grinned. He nodded. "Ours." "You know it." He had to chuckle. Even Harry, for all his vanilla and straight sex life, got that. Harry grinned over, winked. "Just wait until they want to go shopping for Christmas decorations." He groaned. "Oh, my poor aching feet." "Yep. Wear your good shoes." He groaned dramatically, giving Harry a wink. They hadn't had fun like this in far too long. "You two are spoil sports." Samuel got in on the action, laughing and licking some whipped cream off a spoon. "Well, if we were to add the Toy Cupboard to the list of stores we're going to, I could outspend all three of you with one arm behind my back." Harry groaned, Jason laughed, and Samuel turned a sweet, deep pink, lips parting. Score. "Have you never been to a sex shop, Harry?" Jason kept laughing and Peter grinned and nodded toward Harry's sweetheart. "I imagine Jason has, Samuel no doubt dragging him along at one point or another." 184


"Of course Jason has. He has to bring shit home to torture me." Oh, he could just see it, Jason with some big purple dildo or something, Harry's face when he saw it. "Oh, I'd like to see that, I really would." Jason was blushing, but giggling away as well. "Don't make me beat you, Laffy." "Oh, now. We started there, didn't we?" Samuel laughed. "I do believe we did." He waved at the waitress for their bill. "And one of these days I'm going to call your bluff, Harry, and take you up on that offer." "Bullshit. Pay for supper and let's get these hooligans home." "You and Jase'll have to come over tomorrow, you know. I'm not putting all these decorations up on my own." "I told you. Doughnuts. Coffee. Doughnuts." "You have to bring some of the ones that squirt jelly out of them. They amuse the hell out of me." "It's a deal." The waitress finally brought their bill and he settled up, leaving her a nice tip. Sliding his arm around Samuel's shoulders, he grinned over at Harry. "Don't come too early, now. Samuel and I will be ... busy." "Ew. I don't want to know, man. Not at all." "Prude," he accused fondly, tugging Samuel in closer along his side. "Perv." 185


He tilted his head. "Mmm ... yes, I do believe I am." Chuckling, he gave Jason and Harry a wave as they arrived at their cars. "We'll see you tomorrow." "Night, boys. Y'all be good." Harry's hand was around Jason's hip, holding on. "Oh, I'm always good, Harry." "Yes, Peter. Always. Take me home." Samuel winked at him, smile warming him through. Jase waved and called out a "bye," and Peter waved back distractedly, his focus on Samuel. Shopping might have worn him out, but good company, good food, and the promise of a night spent making love to Samuel had revived him.

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Chapter Twenty Five Popcorn balls were sticky. And a little stinky. And way harder to make than advertised. Not to mention really, really, really, really hot. Which his fingers were screaming at him. Right. Now. "Fuck this!" Sammy threw a pan full of sticky, stinky, gooey, craptastic popcorn not-balls to the kitchen tile, the crash satisfying as anything. Oh. Better. "Samuel!" Oh. Peter sounded really shocked. Like really, really. Jase stared at him, eyes and mouth open in little 'o's. "Uh. Hey, Jase." Well, shit. "I take it we're giving up on the popcorn balls?" Peter had that eyebrow of his raised, and the look in his eyes said he wasn't going to forget the swearing. Goddamn it. Jase giggled and bumped their hips together. "You're not supposed to swear around Peter," he whispered, eyes just dancing. "You're an asshole, Jase." He whispered back. "A big fucking asshole." 187


"Sammy!" Jase's giggles turned to outright laughter. He had no warning for the sharp pop to his ass, Peter suddenly right behind him. "Ow!" He jumped, ass stinging. "Jase, you could've warned me!" "Jason was too busy laughing, which will only encourage you." Peter's hand rubbed over his ass, and then pinched. Jase, meanwhile, was doing his best to look innocent. Sammy mouthed "fuckhead" to Jason, hoping Peter didn't see. "Samuel," Peter growled. "Don't make me send Jason home." Oh, fuck off. "Let me grab this sh ... stuff off the floor. What's up, Jase?" "Hmm? Nothing's up." Peter snorted. "Don't lie, honey. I'm grumpy as hell." Sammy grabbed the pan from the floor, growling a little as it stuck. "I'm not lying!" Jason pouted at him. "I'm ... prevaricating." "About what? Is Harry cool?" He and Jase had seemed pretty good the last while. Or was the man having another issue? Oh. Oh, now. That was a nasty thing to think. He was frustrated and headachy; that wasn't Harry or Jason or Peter's problem. Well, maybe it was Peter's.

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"Oh, Harry's fine. Just fine. And he'd kill me for talking about our sex life with you guys again, I just ... it's sitting in the back of my head and niggling, you know?" "I thought you two figured that out after the seduction thing?" Jason nodded. "It's good, the sex is great." "But," Peter added. "Spit it out, Jason." Jason pushed his hands in his pants pockets and shrugged. "Well I've just been thinking about, you know, penetration. And that I don't. Anymore. Do Harry, I mean." "I thought you said things were fine as they were," Peter said. "They are! They are." Jason nodded vigorously. "I just ... Well, maybe I'd like to do that again." "So? Tell him." Sammy chucked the pan into the trash. He'd buy another. "Just like that? 'Hey, Harry, I want to fuck you'? Oh! Sorry, Peter." "Peter doesn't care if you say fuck, Jason. Only me. And, yeah, I think you ought to say, 'Hey, Harry, I want to fuck you.'" "I'm counting those," Peter told him. "I guess that means screaming fuck-fuckity-fuck-fuck-fuck would be bad, huh?" He gave Peter a look. He was having a bad day. "Seriously, Jase. Tell Harry. What if he doesn't know?" That stupid eyebrow went up again, and Peter's gaze never left him. "Jason. Talk to Harry. He loves you and would do anything for you. You could go now." 189


"Harry's at work." Jason wasn't making any move to leave. "When does he get off?" Sammy's fingers were glued together. "He's on the night shift. He won't be home until tomorrow morning." "Would you like me to drive you home?" Peter asked. "Make sure you get back okay?" "Well, I brought that new movie with Johnny Depp in it..." Oh, for fuck's sake. "Jason. I love you. Really. I do. But if you don't fucking go home and let Peter and me get some shit worked out, I'm going to have a motherfucking break with reality." Jason's jaw dropped, and for half a second his pretty eyes started to fill with hurt, and then suddenly his mouth snapped closed and he blushed bright red. "Oh. Okay, I'm going now. But if that was lousy advice about talking to Harry just because you wanted to get your ass smacked, I'm going to give you an earful tomorrow." Sammy blinked and stared, then they both started laughing and he went over, hugged Jason hard. "It wasn't. I promise. Go. Talk to him." He leaned in and whispered. "Tomorrow night? Pizza and Johnny Depp. We'll compare notes." "It's a date." Jason hugged him back and blew a kiss at Peter. "Have fun!" He locked the door behind Jason, then turned to lean against it, protecting his ass. "Do I get bonus points for getting rid of him?" 190


"Do you mean will I smack your ass harder because of it? Sure, I can do that." Peter's eyes were nearly smoldering. "Though I suggest you should be attempting to break the land speed record going up the stairs." "I haven't finished doing the dishes." He headed toward the stairs, almost vibrating. "Like you care about the dishes." Peter's hand landed hard on his ass. "Goddamn it." He groaned, stopped, almost begged for another. "I'm having a bad day." "Keep moving or your day will get worse." Another blow fell, stinging across his skin. He took off running, not sure whether he should scream or bitch or what. All he knew was that he needed. "The room and get naked," snapped Peter as he hit the top of the stairs. Fuck him. Please. He turned the corner and tripped, landing hard on his hands and knees, just screaming out his pure frustration at God knew what. "Samuel," growled Peter, coming up behind him, hands landing hard on his hips. His pants were ripped open, Peter dragging them down over his ass. "Peter. Peter, I need you." Now. Just now. "I know." He could feel Peter's heat behind him as Peter knelt. The wet tip of Peter's cock rubbed along his hole, pressing against it. Sammy pushed back, fucking himself on Peter's prick, 191


letting it fill him up, easing that itch that had been making him crazed. Groaning, Peter's hands wrapped around his shoulders and then it was Peter fucking him, driving that cock deep. "Yes. Yes, please." His head slammed back, throat working, deep, needy cries pouring out of him. "Mine," growled Peter, fingers digging into his shoulders, "Yours. Yours, Peter. Please. I need." Peter's cock pegged his gland and he screamed, shaking with it. "Then take." Peter kept hitting it right there, cock just skating over his gland again and again. Yes. Yes. He drove himself into a screaming frenzy, bucking and rolling, so close to shooting it hurt. One of Peter's hands slid around to pinch his nipple and stroke across his belly before wrapping around his cock. "Peter." He shot hard enough that lights sparked behind his eyes, the tension too much to bear. Peter kept moving, pushed into him over and over, cock hard and hot, making him shake with aftershocks. A moment later Peter said his name, bucking into him, filling him with heat. "Thank you. Thank you, love." He'd needed, so desperately. "Mmm ... you're welcome. We're not nearly done yet, though, Samuel. Not by a long shot. Not even close." Oh, thank God. "I need you. I'm sorry. I just." He should have simply asked. Of course, sometimes it just felt good to push. 192


"You just needed my attention. You've got it now, Samuel. You've got it in spades." Peter pulled out, groaning, and placing a soft kiss on his spine. "Yes. Yes, I needed you." He needed to be noticed. To be heard. To be Peter's. Peter stood and held out his hand. "First things first. There's the matter of the cursing." He reached up, fingers twining with Peter's. "Yes, Peter." "What do you think would be an appropriate punishment?" Oh, he hated it when Peter did that. "I don't know." He stood, swaying a little. "Are you wanting to really punish me?" "Yes, Samuel. You didn't just accidentally say it, you got right into my face and repeatedly swore. You asked me for it, Samuel." "I needed to. I can't be controlled all the time." There was no way. Sometimes he needed to rebel. "This is why your punishments don't involve blindfolds and gags, Samuel, but things you like." Peter chuckled. "Although I might make you wait for the beating you're angling for, draw it out." "I love you." He pushed into Peter's arms, kissing that smile. "I want whatever you'll give me. I want to push and have you push me back and make me submit. Please, love." "You're going to submit, Samuel. Don't you worry about that." Peter's mouth was on his suddenly, arms around him, tugging him close as Peter walked backward, dragging him toward the special bedroom. 193


He groaned, letting Peter pull him, lead him. Please. Yes ... He ... Oh, yes. "Do you need the cane, Samuel?" Peter asked him. Oh. He stopped, shook a little. He ... He couldn't. He ... "The cane. It's..." Huge. Too much. Frightening. Fuck. "Well, then, Samuel, the next time you want to look me in the eye and say 'fuckity-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck' then the punishment will be the cane." Peter led him to the padded bench and bent him over it. "I've got a new paddle. It has bumps on it and should leave the most interesting patterns." Sammy groaned, stretching out, hands gripping the handles at the bottom. "Nice," murmured Peter, hand sliding over his ass, smacking him once. "Very nice." "I love you. I'm all tied up in knots. Frustrated." "Do you want to talk about it?" Peter asked, fetching a paddle from the toy cupboard. "I don't know. I don't know if there's something to talk about yet or if I'm just having a bad day." "Okay, Samuel." Peter kissed him, tongue warm as it slid over his lips. "I love you." "I love you. My popcorn balls didn't work, and I had a customer call me an asshole queen this morning."

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"Oh, lover, you're a queen, but never an asshole." Peter kissed him again, and then moved behind him, rubbing the paddle with all its little bumps against his ass. "I hate when they say that to me. Like being gay is nasty. Like there's something wrong with me." "There's nothing wrong with you." The blow from the paddle came without warning, hitting his ass good and hard. "You aren't nasty." Another hit landed on his ass. "You aren't an asshole." Another. "You ... are ... mine ... and ... beautiful..." Each word was punctuated by another blow. "I need to believe that." Burned. So good. The next blow was much harder. "It's true." Another two blows hit his ass. "I don't lie to you." "No. No, you don't. You never lie." He almost cried out, the burn sharp and knife-edged. "Remember that." Peter hit him again and again, telling him he was beautiful, and wonderful, that he was smart and Peter's. "I will. Do. Please. Peter." At his words, Peter changed up his rhythm, hitting and then rubbing, hitting and then rubbing. "Legs wider," growled Peter, knee nudging his. "Wider..." His balls drew up, stomach tight as a board, Peter's seed leaking from him. "Yes, wider." Peter nudged his balls with the paddle. Then another hit landed on his ass. "I'm going to make love to you, Samuel. I'm going to take your ass. Your beautiful, perfect ass." 195


"Yes. Please. Love me." No fucking. Not for them. Peter grabbed an ass cheek in each hand and squeezed, spread his cheeks apart. He could feel Peter's hot prick pushing against his hole again. "Peter..." He spread, leaned back as best he could, opening. "Yes, Samuel. Just perfect." Peter pushed in and in, filling him, filling him all the way until Peter's hips hit his hot ass. He nodded, head swimming as he gasped, hands twisting into fists. "Mmm..." Peter's cock slid in and out, slid deep, hit his gland and dragged over his skin. "There. There, please." Again. Don't stop. Again. "I know. Right here." Peter's fingers curled around his hips, tugged him back into each thrust. "Right here." "Uh. Uh-huh. More. Please, Peter." He was going to just ... explode. "More." Peter moved harder, thick cock spreading Sammy wide, making him feel so much. "I ... I'm going to. I am. Peter. I'm going to..." "Yes. Come, Samuel. Without a touch. Come." Peter pushed in harder, deeper, taking him, having him. Seed shot from him, just throbbing and pouring out of his cock, so good. "Yes! Yes!" Peter kept moving inside him, pushing and then filling him again with the wonderful heat. He slumped over the table, heart pounding, lightheaded and dizzy and easy, bone-deep. Peter stayed buried inside him, leaning over him, hot and solid, good. 196


Warm lips nuzzled his neck. "Better?" "Uh-huh." Better, better. "Good." Peter slid out of him and wrapped both arms around his middle, half carrying, half dragging him over to the bed where they curled up together. "No more swearing, Samuel." "I'm sorry, love. I just ... Needed." "I know. You can just tell me that, you know. Even if pushing me instead seems more fun." "I know. I ... I get busy and angry and caught." He yawned and leaned in. "You're what I need, Peter." "Yeah." Peter patted his arm and kissed his forehead. "Sleep, Samuel. I'm sure I'll be waking you again in the middle of the night." "Mmmhmm. 'kay. Love you, huh?" "Yeah, I know, Samuel. I count on it." Peter patted his ass gently. "And I love you back." "I know." And he did, bone-deep.

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Chapter Twenty Six Jase tossed and turned for most of the night. He never slept as well when Harry wasn't home anyway, but it was worse when he had stuff on his mind. And he did. Have stuff. On his mind. So about the time Harry was due home, he had the coffee on, and was sipping his own, looking out the back window at the birds coming and going at the feeder. Harry came in, looking more than a little tired himself, rolling his shoulders. "Morning, baby. You're up early." He smiled and put down his cup, went over to give Harry his welcome home I missed you hug. "Waiting for my stud." "Mmm. Flatterer." Harry smiled and hugged him tight, kissing his temple. "Last night of the bad shift. I'm back to days after the long weekend. "Oh, good. The bed's just not the same without you." It was huge without Harry to take up more than his share. "Mmmhmm." His ass was given a pat. "You want to go get breakfast?" "Oh. Um ... I..." He didn't think he could eat actually; he'd been waiting all night to talk to Harry, waiting for his lover to come home. "I want to fuck you." His mouth slammed closed, his eyes going wide. He hadn't meant to just blurt it out like that. "What?" Harry looked at him in utter confusion. He rolled his eyes at himself. Wow, such subtlety and finesse. His only excuse was that he had been waiting all 198


night to talk to Harry. Worrying about whether the issue would shatter Harry's renewed peace. "I didn't mean, well, no. I did mean it, but I was going to lead up to it. Like with kisses and rubbing and stuff." That would have been so much better than just throwing it at Harry like that. "I ... Really?" "Really, was I going to lead up to it and be all suave about it? I really, really was. Or, really, do I want to, because, yeah," he looked up into Harry's eyes. "I do. I loved being inside you, Harry. I loved the noises you'd make and knowing I was doing that..." Harry looked at him, eyes just still as hell. "I didn't think. I mean, I didn't think you'd want to, after..." Harry waved his hand, swallowed hard. "I mean, it'll be different." "What do you mean you didn't think I'd want to? I tried. A few times. I mean. Harry, you've not let me even touch you there ever since." Not that he'd tried recently; he'd sort of given up after a while. "It hurts, remembering what they did. It used to hurt a lot." "And you think me doing you would remind you of what they did?" Because he didn't want that, he didn't want that at all. Harry shook his head. "I'm ... I don't want it to feel bad. I remember you fucking me and it's good. But if I can't ... I need those memories to balance out the others." That was the most Harry'd said about the abduction in a year, easy. Even counting the parole hearing and its aftermath. 199


"And you're scared it's going to hurt or not be very good or bring the bad memories up strongly enough that it'll ruin the old memories of me making love to you," Jase said amidst a sudden flash of insight. "Yeah, babe." Harry sighed, reached for him. He wrapped himself around Harry, arms holding on tight. "I'd never hurt you, love." "I know." Harry hugged him. "In my head I know." "We could..." He buried his face in Harry's chest. "We could try and if you hated it stop." "Just like that? Right now?" "Well ... wouldn't putting it off make it harder? Giving you time to think." "It's sort of ... direct, Jase." That wasn't a no. "I tried all night to come up with a better way, but I couldn't." They weren't much for games, him and Harry. Harry looked at him, one corner of that mouth curling up in a half-smile. "I love you. You know that?" He met that half-smile with a full one. "I know that, Harry. Out of everything—that I know for sure." He hugged Harry tight. "And I love you more than anything." "So now what? We go have sex and then pancakes?" "We've had worse plans." Harry hadn't said no. Was even discussing it with him. Harry's laugh rang out, just filled the kitchen. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess we have." He rubbed against Harry. "Come upstairs?" "Yeah. Yeah, okay. I ... Let me lock the doors." 200


"I'll help you." Maybe the way they made love wasn't the only thing they needed to change. "I'll do the back door here." "Okay." Harry nodded, went for the front, just checking. He blinked. For years Harry had checked and double checked the entrances. He shook himself, hurrying over to the door and shooting the double deadbolt home. Then he put the chain up and went over to close the kitchen windows. Harry watched him, nodded, hunched shoulders relaxing a little. He went over to his lover, linking their arms. "Okay, love? We're good to go." "Hey, babe. Let's go get in the shower, huh?" He hated seeing Harry unsure. He hated the thought of Harry losing this even more. "Yeah, I love showering with you. I love you, Harry." And he didn't need to do Harry, he didn't. He missed it, because being buried inside the tight heat of Harry's body ... well, that was really good. But he'd give it up forever to keep Harry happy. Jase grabbed Harry's hand and led him upstairs. He'd see how things went, and if they didn't work ... well, he'd never ask again, because he was not going to be the cause of that look in Harry's eyes ever again. The water got started, Harry stripping out of his uniform, holster carefully set aside. "You miss fucking me?" "I do, Harry. I miss feeling you around my cock. And the noises you make when I fuck you." He reached out and slid his fingers over Harry's beautiful belly. "It's not a deal 201


breaker or anything, love. We don't ever have do it again and I won't be dissatisfied." Harry pushed against his touch, leaning toward him. "We'll just see what we see." Jase nodded and slid his hand up, going for the right nipple, his fingertips dancing over it. God, Harry was sexy: all cut and muscled. It made him catch his breath. "Shit, you make me feel like a stud." Harry grinned, shook his head. "Really." "Mmm ... that would be because you are a stud, Harry. Really." He pulled off his shirt and leaned against that strength, skin on skin. "You just love me, huh?" Harry's hands mapped his back, strong and sure. "No. I mean, yes, I love you, but you're actually a stud." That chuckle warmed him up, bone deep. He reached around to Harry's ass and squeezed it. "See? All stud." "Yup. All yours." Harry's hands found Jase's ass, squeezed right back. "Yeah." Jase tilted his head back, lips parting for Harry's kiss. The kiss was slow and sweet, Harry not hurrying a bit, just tasting him, exploring his mouth like it was the first. He lost himself in the kiss, in Harry. He slid his fingers along Harry's waistband, tugging the underwear down. Harry's cock was beginning to fill, the kiss going deeper, just stealing his breath. 202


With a soft moan, he slid a hand around Harry's prick, slowly jacking it. Harry stepped out of his jeans, heading back toward the shower. Jase pulled his own pants off and followed Harry, admiring the fully naked body, the hard cock. Harry really was a stud, there was no doubt of that. "Is it hot?" he asked. "Mmmhmm. Hot." Harry stepped into the water, the blond hair going dark. He followed Harry into the shower, pressing close against the hard body. "Hey." Harry moaned, leaning back against the tile, giving him all that skin to touch. He licked the water from Harry's collarbone and then nibbled his way down to wrap his lips around one of Harry's nipples. He loved the way Harry tasted, the way the hard muscles felt against him. "Jase." Harry groaned, hand cupping the back of his head, little nipple perking up. He rubbed his hands down along Harry's side, counting ribs, and wrapped them around Harry's hips. So strong. And his. His lover. His home. His Harry. Harry moved, arching under him a bit, beginning to pant. He teased Harry's nipple with his tongue and then moved down, licking water from Harry's navel, tracing the ridged abdomen. Harry's prick curved up, thick and long and waiting for him. Harry's balls were heavy, covered in gold curls. He bypassed Harry's cock, going for those balls first, placing a kiss on each one and then licking them. From there he licked his way up the large cock. 203


"Don't make me come, if you want to head to bed..." "You could get it up again..." He licked at the tip of Harry's cock, gasping at the taste. "It's you that has to keep it up, babe." "So you can come now, and then later, too." He grinned up at Harry and then wrapped his lips around the head of Harry's cock, sucking, pulling more of that wonderful taste in. Harry stopped talking, head falling back, throat working as Harry just gave himself over, let Jason have anything. He wrapped his hand around the base of Harry's cock, mouth moving down to meet it, and then sliding up again. He started slowly, mouth and hand moving together, and slowly picked up speed. They'd made love in this house a thousand times, maybe more. This time felt important to him. Sharp, somehow. His head moved up and down, his tongue sliding on Harry, feeling every bump, every vein, the heat as delicious as the flavor. "Gonna, babe. Making me crazy." Harry stretched up, pushed deep into him, taking his mouth. He unwrapped his hand from Harry's cock, letting his lover slide all the way in. Grabbing Harry's ass, he encouraged the thrusts. "Jason! Jason, babe." Harry grabbed his shoulders, tugged him closer. He could feel Harry's cock hit the back of his throat, and he swallowed around it, massaging it. That was enough; Harry grunted and shot, liquid heat just pouring down his throat. He swallowed and swallowed, taking Harry all in. 204


Moaning happily, he pulled slowly off, cheek nuzzling along Harry's belly. "Jesus, Jase. That ... You blew the top of my head right off." He laughed, reaching up and sliding his hands over Harry's hair. "No, it's still there, Harry." "Yeah? Doesn't feel like it. Bed?" He giggled and nodded. They turned the water off and used a single towel between them, rubbing the terrycloth over their skin. Harry seemed relaxed, easy, staying close to him, stealing kisses. They stood by the bed, mouths sliding, tongues and lips playing and tangling together. "I love you, huh? Even if this is fucked up." His Harry. So eloquent. "Come to bed, love." He climbed up, tugging on Harry's hands. "Come to bed." Harry nodded, both of them curling up together, settling in their blankets. His hands slid over the muscles he loved so much, feeling Harry up, groping and touching as his tongue slid along Harry's. The kiss went long and deep, Harry gathering him closer, rubbing them together. His cock was hard and dripping, rubbing along Harry's belly. He fed one moan and then another into Harry's mouth. "Yours." Harry shivered, took one of his hands and put it on one taut ass cheek. "Yeah?" He looked up into Harry's eyes, his hand squeezing. "Mine. Always and no matter what." "No matter, babe. No matter at all." 205


He pressed their mouths together again, hand circling, palm sliding against Harry's ass, the warm skin so good. Harry was tense for a while, but those hard muscles relaxed for him, eased right up. "Love you," he whispered against Harry's lips before sliding down a little, mouth finding one of Harry's nipples and worrying it as he let one finger slide along Harry's crack. Harry moaned a little—or was it a whimper?—ass clenching before easing again. Slowly. He stroked and petted, mouth busy moving from one nipple to the other, nipping at the expanse of skin in between. Eventually, he let his finger drag lightly across Harry's hole. Harry watched him, eyes serious, open, not missing a thing. Not pretending this didn't happen. "I need the lube," Jase murmured, finger stroking and stroking over the hot, wrinkled skin. "Mmmhmm." Harry nodded, didn't move, just watched him. He reached up and over, fingers brushing the edge of the bedside table. He tried again, snagging the tube this time. Harry chuckled, applauded him, which made him start laughing, the tension between them easing. He pressed up into another kiss, the laughter sweet between them. He slicked up his fingers, making himself not think about it, not make it a big deal. Still, his fingers were trembling once they were all slippery and sliding over Harry's crack. "It's okay, babe. It's just us here." "Yeah. I love you." He watched Harry's eyes as he said it, as he pushed the tip of one finger into Harry's body. 206


"Tell me about the first time you did this. It's fucking quiet in here." Harry was looking a little wild-eyed, but Jase was let in, Harry's hole trembling. Jase laughed as he thought back. "You wouldn't make love to me until I made love to you first. That was after I had to seduce you after months and months of you not doing anything more than sleeping—actually sleeping—with me. You were Mr. Noble, which drove me crazy, even as it made me love you more." "I didn't want you to think I only wanted to fuck. That isn't my way." "I know, love. I never ever believed that of you. I know you love me through and through." He knew it deep inside and in his heart. "I feel the same way," he murmured, finger pushing all the way into Harry's body. "I know." Harry's fingers grabbed his shoulders, held on. "Is this okay?" he asked, finger pushing in and out and oh, God, Harry was hot and tight and like the most amazing soft silk ever. "Yeah. It feels good to you?" "Oh, Harry, it feels like ... like the best soft, hot tightness ever." He rubbed against Harry's front, slowly working a second finger in with the first. "I ... You can't feel any scars? It doesn't feel wrong?" Oh, man. His poor Harry. Like he would have cared. He met his lover's eyes. "It feels amazing, Harry. It feels perfect." Harry relaxed a little more, nodded once. "Good." 207


He stretched with his fingers, moved them in and out and around, looking for Harry's prostate. When he found it, Harry cried out, eyes huge, a mixture of pleasure and desperation in them. He kept talking, needing Harry to know it was him here, and no one else. "You know what I love about that, Harry? That it's me doing that to you, me making you feel so good, making you cry out." "Uh-huh. Do it again, please. More." Harry drew one knee up, muscles taut. "Again and again, Harry. I want to make you fly." He nudged his fingers across Harry's gland a few more times, and then slowly, carefully worked in a third finger. Not as big as his cock, three fingers would still stretch Harry pretty wide. "Full." Harry leaned up, groaned against his ear. "Tell me it's good, babe. I need you to." "It's so good, Harry. It's going to be even better soon—it's going to be my cock soon. Because I don't think I can wait any longer." He drew his fingers out, eyes on Harry's. "Can we do it like this, love? I want to see your face." "I don't want to do it from behind. Not yet. I need to know." He nodded; Harry needed to know it was him. Jase needed it, too, needed to see Harry's eyes and know it was okay, needed to see if it wasn't. "Do you want to slick up my cock?" he asked, handing Harry the lube. He wanted this to be something they did together, not something he did to Harry. 208


"You know it." Harry grabbed the lube, hand enveloping Jase's prick as soon as those thick fingers were slick. Groaning, he pushed with his hips, sliding his cock through Harry's fingers. It felt so good, so he stopped because he didn't want to come yet—he was waiting for Harry's ass. "Pretty." "Hot." He shuddered, hands sliding on Harry's thighs. "Oh, soon, Harry. Please." "Yeah. Yeah, I hear you. Come on, now. Let's do this." He settled between Harry's legs, attention split between Harry's face and the little hole his cock was nudging at. He pressed and he pushed, and he cried out as the head of his cock pushed in and was squeezed tight by Harry's body. "Jase." The single word was growled out, Harry's hands opening and closing against his skin. "Harry," he whispered back, looking down at where they were joined. And, oh, God, he was inside Harry. Inside the only place he knew that was so tight and so hot, and he wanted to just shove in as deep as he could, just bury himself inside Harry's body. He flicked his gaze up to Harry's eyes, needing to know there wasn't any pain there, any fear. There were tears there, not falling, but making Harry's eyes shine, but that didn't interfere with the stunned look, the smile. "You got me, babe." "I've got you." He pushed in further, sinking slowly until he was all the way in, both of them breathless. His balls snugged up against Harry's ass and he was nearly crying himself. It felt so good, and Harry was letting him ... It was so good. 209


Harry pulled him down, their mouths meeting in a heartbreakingly slow kiss. It went on and on, both of their lips clinging, their tongues sliding together, curling inside his mouth and then Harry's. They broke apart with a gasp and he started to move, Harry's body seeming to cling to his cock, so tight and hot around it. "Talk to me, babe. Please." Harry rolled up, hips meeting his, ass gripping his prick. "You feel so good around me, Harry. So hot. I love you. I really do." The words fell from his lips like a flood, his brain too busy registering how good this felt, how special Harry made him feel. Harry nodded, moving with him, panting, wanting him. "Love you. Need you. Want you." More words, rattling off, spilling out of Jase as he drove into Harry over and over, everything so big and growing bigger. "Uh-huh. Need." Harry reached down, jacking that heavy, thick cock to full hardness, thumb working the tip. "Oh!" He gasped as Harry's body tightened even more around him. "Oh, Harry. Harry. Soon." Nothing this good could last very long. "Mmmhmm. Come on, babe. Please. Please." Harry's shoulders left the mattress, body jerking. He kept pushing into Harry, shifting and circling his hips as he thrust in. And when he found the spot that made Harry's eyes open wide he stayed there, hitting Harry's gland again and again. "Please. Now, love. I need you to come now."

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"Couple more..." Harry groaned, gasped as Jase pushed in deep again, and then spunk sprayed between them, Harry's cry ringing out. He watched Harry's face, watched the pleasure and joy there, and his own orgasm caught him by surprise. With a gasp, he filled Harry. Harry's face was hidden in his throat and, if there were tears, no one was going to mention it. "Love you," he whispered, his cock sliding out, his body settling on Harry's. "So much, love. So much." Harry just nodded, holding on. "Yeah. Yeah." Jase settled, his eyes closing, his love for Harry filling him all the way up.

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Chapter Twenty Seven Harry headed into the bar, ordered a beer, and waited for Laffy to show. Jase and Sammy were going to some stupid assed class— curtain making or stained glass or flower arranging or some shit that would occupy them both for four or five weeks, and then they'd find something else. He grinned and ordered a plate of nachos, too. It made them happy and gave him and Laffy some time to fuck off. It worked. Laffy wandered in, grinning and waving when he saw him. Coming over, Laffy ordered a beer and sat next to him. "I ordered some nachos, man." He nodded, took a deep drink. "You got the car, right?" He still wasn't used to having a beer; he'd become a lightweight. Peter chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. I'll drive." Peter took a long drink and grabbed a few beer nuts. "So how're you doing, Harry?" "Good. Tired, some. I hate the first few weeks of switching over shifts, you know?" "Yeah, I know. So does Jase." "Yeah." He nodded, shrugged. "He's thinking about applying at that private school across town, full-time." "Is he? I thought he preferred the public schools?" "He does, but the waiting list is fucking amazing. He's tired of subbing, I think. I'm encouraging him to go back to school." Jase would be a kick-ass professor. 212


"That would be cool." Peter popped a few more nuts. "How are things going for the two of you?" "Fine. We're thinking about going to the coast for Christmas, seeing if you and Sammy'd like to come." They were good. Getting better all the time. All the time. Every night. Every day. The wounds slowly healing, Jason's love helping more than anything else. "Oh, now that sounds like fun. Though we usually have my mother over, and I'd hate to leave her alone." "Well, we could go the week between Christmas and New Year's. Just take it easy." Walk on the beach. Sleep in. Eat. Goof off. "That would be great, Harry. I'll talk to Samuel, but I can't imagine why he wouldn't want to." The bartender put their nachos down in front of them, and Peter dug in. Harry wasn't surprised; Sammy always served healthy shit, and sometimes a man just wanted nachos. "Yeah, no big nightclub shit, but still something special. Something celebratory." "Oh, I think we're all a bit past the nightclub shit, aren't we?" Peter chuckled. "I think I'm getting old, Harry." "You and me both, Laffy. You and me both." He grinned over, shook his head. "It's not too bad, though, is it?" Fucking better than the alternative. "No, no it isn't. Good friends, good lovers. A good life." "You know it, man." He finished his beer, shook his head when Rick asked if he wanted another. "Even if you are a pervy asshole." 213


"Me? Pervy? Nah, me and Samuel just do kinky shit to each other, that's all." He thought Peter said things like that on purpose, just to see his face. "Ew." He grinned, started laughing. "What're you getting Sammy for Christmas?" "Oh, Harry, I don't think you really want to know, do you?" Peter chuckled. "It's something he's been lusting after." "Oh, man. No. No, I don't want to know." He rolled his eyes and grinned. "So, has Sammy told you what odd piece of furniture Jase wants and how much it's going to cost me?" "He has, as it happens. And it's a set of pots and pans, by the way. The thing Samuel's been lusting after." "Oh, cool. More dinner parties. So? What is it?" Lord knew they played this game every year. "It's a butt-ugly chair. It's on display at the Roselyn Street store, but it's already on hold for you." "Thanks, man. I owe you one." Just what they needed. Another butt-ugly chair. "It's not one you owe me." Peter gave him a wink. "This one might actually be comfortable to sit in." "No shit? Excellent. I'll tell Sammy to get you that belt sander you wanted for the workshop." "The one with the multiple speeds, Harry. It has to have multiple speeds." "Got it. Hell, I'll go pick it up." He grinned over at Peter, tickled. "Sammy'd get you the pretty one." Peter laughed. "He would. Or the one they were selling with a toaster oven or something. And what do you want Samuel to tell Jase to get you?" 214


He considered that a second. What did he want? He had everything he needed. Really. "I want a beer cooler for the back yard so we have cold drinks on tap." "You want a beer cooler." Peter shook his head. "So what's the whole relaxation of the drinking rule about, Harry?' "I..." He stopped, not sure he wanted to explain. He'd given so much up to those motherfuckers—years of just being able to be him—and now, he just wanted to live while he could. "It was time." Peter nodded. "It was more than time, Harry." Peter drank some more of his beer and glanced at him casually. Almost too casually. "Anything else it was time for?" He looked over, refusing to blush, damn it. "Huh?" Nosy fucker. And unabashedly so at that. "You heard me, Harry." "Like you haven't heard shit from Sammy." He knew Jase told Sammy everything. "Samuel isn't allowed to use that word." Peter winked. "No? How about fuck?" He winked back. Weirdo. Peter bristled a little. "No, not that one either. Come on, Harry. Give me a break here. How are you and Jase doing?" "We're good, man. Honest. Solid as a rock." He was managing. Jason was, too. It worked. "I'm glad to hear it, Harry. You two are my heroes, you know. Proof that true love exists." He tilted his head, frowned. "But. I mean, you've got Sammy."

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Peter smiled. "Oh, yes. But I know it's not an illusion because you and Jase have been together forever and have gone through so much and are still together." "Nope. Not an illusion. Even if we do fight less often than you two do." Hell, he hadn't had a real fight with Jase in forever. "Oh, we don't fight. Not really." Peter smiled, grinned really, eyes dancing wickedly. "Yeah, yeah. I've seen Sammy throw a temper tantrum of mammoth proportions." Peter nodded. "Cute, isn't he?" "Vaguely, yeah. You want to throw a bucket of water on him." "Or throw him onto the bed and..." Peter winked. "Don't go there, man. Sammy is so not in my fantasy life." Not even a little. "Oh? You have a fantasy life?" "Shut up, Laffy." Of course he did. "What? What did I say?" Oh, look at Peter try to work the innocent look. "You fucker. Of course I fantasize. I gotta jack off now and again." "Oh, now, Harry, I don't paint you pictures of Sammy all tied up and at my mercy, the least you could do is return the favor." "I am, right?" He wasn't painting pictures of Jason in that black turtleneck and grey slacks, stalking him across the house... 216


"Well except now I've got this picture of you and your chubby..." Peter winked and gave a shudder. "Bitch." He tossed a corn nut at Laffy, just laughing out loud. Peter laughed, too, clapping him on the back. "Come on. I've got ten that says I can beat your ass on the pool table." "You're on, man. Let's go." It was time to quit jabbering and start playing.

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Chapter Twenty Eight Peter thought that, of all the ideas Harry had ever had, this one was the best. Christmas had been a mad rush at the stores; Samuel had spent days and days cooking. It had been nothing but rushing and busy, and stressful for both him and Samuel, and for their friends as well. And while he'd thought a drive up the coast was the last thing he wanted, now that they were checked in and settled in the main sitting room with Harry and Jase and glasses of spiked eggnog, he had to admit, he could feel himself start to relax. There was a fire crackling away, and he had Samuel snuggled up against his side. And, best of all, there wasn't a Christmas carol to be heard. Harry was stretched out on the sofa, Jase draped over him, both of them dozing on and off, looking happy. They were the only guests, and the owners were two old queens, so nobody had to be careful. "Happy, Samuel?" he asked, looking into his lover's face. "Mmmhmm." Samuel had been staring out at the ocean, looking blissful. "It's nice to relax, to not have company for a minute." "It's good to have you just sitting with me for a moment and not running around either baking, cooking, or feeding someone." He smiled down at Samuel to let him know he wasn't angry at all. "And what did you put in the food that 218


had my mother and Harry's father making eyes at each other?" "It must have been the chocolate cake." Samuel chuckled, shook his head. "They were cute, flirting and stuff. She needs a boyfriend." He made a face. "Here I agree with Harry—I don't want to know." Really, his mother and dating and all that might entail were things he did not want to think about. Samuel started giggling, laughing into the eggnog, whipped cream on the long, thin nose. Oh, that was a great sound. He tilted Samuel's face and licked the cream right off Samuel's nose. "You about done with your drink?" he asked. "Uh-huh. It's incredibly rich." Samuel's eyes were bright, eager. "Shall we retire? I don't think Jason and Harry will mind." Jason snored softly, Harry murmuring and petting Jason's back, easing him back into sleep. Samuel chuckled, nodded. "They're snoozing." Yes, and his lover needed. "Let's go then. Let's go play." Samuel levered himself up, offering Peter his hand. Peter took it, letting his forward motion push them together. Perfect for a kiss, and he took one, opening Samuel's mouth with his tongue. Samuel laughed into his kiss, pressing close, rubbing against him. He heard another sound from the couch and broke their kiss reluctantly, began to head for their bedroom. "We don't want to wake them." "No. They don't want to watch us, either. Harry'd die." 219


He laughed. "Well we can't have that—it would spoil the holiday." "Absolutely. Come on, lover." Samuel tugged him, dragging him behind that sweet little ass framed so nicely in slacks and a tight sweater. "Coming, coming." He followed, closing the door behind them as soon as they'd cleared it. He stopped Samuel, pushing their mouths together again, enjoying the hint of rum in Samuel's mouth. They had to head upstairs to their room and they kissed every step of the way, stumbling and laughing, enjoying the hell out of each other. "Want you, Samuel. I need you." "I'm all yours." "Yes, mine." He agreed. Their room was homey and warm, with the same ocean view they'd been admiring downstairs. The bed invited them, and he kissed Samuel all the way over to it. Samuel was happy, laughing for him. He could hear the edge of need in Samuel's sounds, though, the stress of the last days threaded through. He'd brought some toys along; some things lent themselves better to travel than others. "I have ropes, Samuel. White and ice blue." Samuel would look pretty all trussed up, the pale skin showing the icy colored ropes beautifully. "Oh..." Samuel groaned and pressed close, taking his hand and sliding it back to that fine ass. "I have a plug in, good and heavy." 220


Oh. Wicked boy. Moaning, he slid his hand over Samuel's ass. This required skin, though, and he soon started opening the slacks Samuel wore, pushing his hand down into Samuel's underwear. He jostled the plug. That was the sweetest moan, Samuel pushing closer. All day, his Samuel had been filled and not shared it with him so that he could play. "You should have told me," he murmured. He would have made the drive up a delicious torture, the evening spent with Harry and Jason an adventure in subtle touching. "You would have made me insane." He chuckled. "I would have. It would have been delightful." He was just going to have to do it now, instead. He took the base of the plug between his fingers and twisted it. Samuel jerked, almost crawled up his body. "Love." Yes. Yes, someone was sensitive and needing. "You've been waiting all day for this." He twisted the plug again and then began to strip them both, making short work of sweaters and shirts and pants. "When did you put it in? After your shower? At the first pit stop we made? When?" "After I made breakfast. I was hyped up; I needed to focus." "And we didn't have time to do that together. My clever Samuel." He kissed his lover, tongue pushing in as his finger started tapping on the base of the plug. Samuel's legs wrapped around Peter's waist, that pretty ass spread and exposed for him. He could feel Samuel's prick, 221


caught between them, leaking and hot, sliding with each movement Samuel made. He circled Samuel's hole, tracing the base of the plug; he squeezed both cheeks, and then went back to nudge the plug again. "Mmm. Your hands, Peter. I need them." The words were whispered against the side of his neck, moaned. "These hands?" he asked, letting one fly, spanking Samuel's ass. "Yes!" Samuel nodded, rubbing harder, nearly frantic already. "Do you need to come?" He hit Samuel's ass again, making sure his fingers hit the base of the plug. "I need you." Samuel's head fell back, throat working. "Need me? Need this?" He rubbed his prick behind Samuel's balls. Zero to sixty in seconds, that's what Samuel did to him. "Yes. Yes. Fuck me and then put the plug back in and we'll play, please?" "Yeah, Samuel. I can do that." He tugged the plug out, tossing it back on the bed behind him and pushing into Samuel in the same breath, his lover's body stretched and ready for him. Samuel helped, hands on his shoulders, muscles working as his lover rode him. He stumbled forward, pushing Samuel up against the wall. It gave him leverage and his next thrust went deep. "Yes!" Ah, someone liked that. He pushed again and again, Samuel riding him desperately. He worked a hand between them, wrapping it around Samuel's cock as he kept thrusting, plunging into the 222


beautiful heat. It only took three strokes and Samuel went tight around him, seed slicking his hand. That sweet ass massaged his own prick, and with a groan, he came, filling Samuel's body. "Yeah..." Samuel relaxed, smiling. Happy. He nodded, mouth closing on Samuel's, tongue pushing gently in. This was sweet and sloppy, easy. Samuel cuddled in against him, licking and nuzzling, ass still working his prick. He walked them over to the bed, setting Samuel down and following, his prick still buried deep. "Plug back in and play, right?" "Uh. Uh-huh." Samuel started riding him again, moving and shifting on his cock. He groaned. "That's ... Samuel." He moved with Samuel, sliding inside. God, Samuel was hot, silky. "Uh-huh." Samuel leaned up, lips finding his nipple, the suction hot and unbearably sweet. "Samuel!" He cried out, his body bucking, cock pushing in hard. Samuel's lips tightened, pulling hard enough that it ached, almost burned. He started pushing with his hips again, picking up the rhythm from the way Samuel sucked on his nipple. Every few sucks, those teeth teased him, dragged against his flesh. "You're making me forget my plans," Peter ground out, hips still moving hard. The bite was sharp, stinging. Teasing little bastard. He reached between them and pinched Samuel's nipple. Samuel squeezed his cock, fist-tight, then gasped. It made Peter 223


moan, and he did it again. Samuel nipped him again and again, both of them wild, wanting. He drove in harder, faster, hips pumping away as they nipped and pinched and made love like beasts. Samuel laughed, tugging at his nipple with those sharp little teeth. He grabbed Samuel's head, tugging it away from his chest and slamming their mouths together. They pushed together, making love with a bare ferocity, driving each other insane. He rolled them, letting Samuel be on top, pushing up into the tight ass. Samuel looked beautiful, moving over him with those dark eyes shining, curls bobbing. Reaching up, he pinched both nipples. "Not. Not sensitive." It was an old joke, familiar, and he laughed, tweaked those nipples a bit. "I love you," he told Samuel. His very own. "I know." Sammy leaned down, kissed him good and hard. "Come for me," he whispered into Samuel's mouth, bucking up hard. Seed sprayed over his belly, just as he wanted. Just as he needed. He bucked up again, driving himself deep as he came as well, his cock jerking inside Samuel's body. Samuel slumped down, panting, cuddling right against him. "Love." "Yes, love." He wrapped his arms around Samuel, held his lover close.

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Chapter Twenty Nine Jase woke to the sound of the waves, Harry curled around his back. Oh, just right. Especially knowing Sammy and Peter were in the next room, and they had days of vacation in front of them. He stretched, feeling relaxed and good, feeling sexy with Harry's naked body pressed against him. Harry patted him, petting him, even in sleep. Harry's heavy cock rested on his thigh, warm and quiet, waiting for him. Giggling softly, just so happy, he wriggled his way down Harry's body, leaving kisses on the way down. He kept going until he could reach Harry's cock, lips kissing the tip, tongue flicking out to taste the hot, velvet flesh. "Mmm. Babe." Harry shifted, cock twitching hard against his tongue. Yeah, mmm. He took just the tip between his lips, sucking and licking. Oh, he did love doing this. He loved the way Harry tasted, and the way Harry's cock hardened in his mouth. Harry woke slowly, the soft moans getting louder, prick growing and filling him up. Moaning happily himself, he kept sucking, his head beginning to bob so he could take more in. Harry grabbed his leg, pulled him around, warm lips wrapping around his cock. Oh! Gasping, he spent a moment just feeling Harry's mouth around his cock, so hot and wet, Harry's breath adding to the 225


heat. Then he began sucking again, eyes closed so he could enjoy both sucking and being sucked without a single distraction. They had a rhythm going, sucking and rocking, Harry taking him in to the root. He started whimpering around Harry's cock, the need making his balls ache, making his spine tingle. Harry's hands slid down his spine, rubbing and stroking, massaging him as they flew. Love you, Harry, he thought as he sucked, head bobbing faster. Love you, love you. He knew, though, that Harry was right there and loved him, needed him. He could feel the pleasure building and building, knew it was for Harry, too, as the prick in his mouth got even harder. Jerking, his hips pushed his cock into Harry's throat, and he came in long pulses. Harry's orgasm answered his, Harry coming hard, filling him right up. He swallowed and swallowed, the taste of Harry's pleasure about the best thing. Then he slowly pulled off, tongue licking and cleaning and loving on Harry's prick. "Mmm. Morning, babe. 's good." He laughed softly. "It is." He kissed Harry's cock and patted his balls, and then shifted and wriggled up so they were face to face again. Harry grinned at him, rubbing their noses together, chocolate eyes dancing. He kissed Harry; there was the taste of his lover and himself all mixed together. "This was a good idea, Harry." "It was. I love it here with you. We should come every year." 226


"We should come more than once a year." He could handle this feeling on a regular basis. "Okay." That was easy. He should have asked for something more impressive. He pressed close. "We should come here once a month." Harry chuckled. "When we win the lottery." "If we win the lottery, I'm bucking for us living here permanently. Or Hawaii." "Okay." He chuckled, grinning at Harry's smile. His stomach growled loudly, making him giggle, and he snuggled in closer. "You think we should go get Laff and Sammy and have breakfast?" "Do you think they're awake? I mean, Sammy will be, but Laffy?" "Oh, I'm pretty sure Sammy'll have Peter up. Oh, I didn't mean it like that! Well, maybe that, too..." Harry snorted. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Horndogs, the both of them." "We wouldn't know anything about that..." He rubbed against Harry, both their cocks caught between them. "Nope. Celibate, the two of us." Harry's hand landed on his ass, pulling him closer. He giggled, his cock jerking as Harry's fingers squeezed his ass. "Two dried up old fogeys." Mmm. Nibbling. Nuzzling. "Speak for yourself," he murmured, putting his head back and giving Harry lots of room to do more nibbling. "I'm not dried up." "No? You sure?" Harry grinned, licking at his lips. 227


"Pretty sure. You certainly aren't dried up. I just tested." "No, babe. You just tasted." He laughed, hitting Harry in the arm. "Goof." "Yup." Harry chuckled, rubbing his arm dramatically. "Wounded. I'm wounded." "Should I kiss it better? Or call on Peter and Sammy to help with first aid?" "Oh, kiss it better. Laffy'd just make it worse, and Sammy'd feed me." He giggled—it was funny because it was so true. He nibbled at Harry's arm, and then licked it, lips pressing to kiss it. "No eating your deputy. They'll cook you bacon in the kitchen." "I thought you liked it when I ate you? You certainly did earlier..." God, he loved it when they played. Harry rolled them, tickling him hard, making him squeak and squeal. Jase's legs wrapped around Harry, as he tried to tickle back. "Fee fie foe fum..." Harry chuckled, teeth teasing his throat. Harry had him laughing and giggling, gasping to catch his breath. They settled together, tangled in the sheets, tickled and happy. A sharp rap came at the door. "Harry? Jase? I don't know what kinky, pervy stuff you've got going on in there, but it's time for breakfast." Laffy sounded amused. "Fuck off, you old queen." Harry grinned, eyes just dancing. 228


Jason giggled, burying his face in Harry's shoulder. "Who're you calling old?" Laff knocked again. "If you don't come on now, I'm going to go back to our room and do things you don't want to hear about to Samuel." "Give us five, you old perv. I need to get dressed." Harry tossed a box of tissues at the door. "You're not dressed yet? Now I know you were up to pervy crap, copper. Five minutes. We'll be downstairs." "Don't take all the coffee!" Harry hollered and Jase could hear Sammy giggle, the laughter fading. Jase wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, smiling up at his lover. "I guess we have to get dressed and go down." "I guess. We'll go have a nice long walk." Harry grinned, reached up, and cupped Jase's jaw. "Love you, babe." He nuzzled into the touch. "I know. It makes me happy all through." He turned his face and kissed Harry's hand. "And I love you." "Yeah. I know. Come on, now. There's coffee waiting for us." Coffee, Sammy and Laff, and the rest of their lives, no matter what happened. END

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