Quarterback

Gridiron Gods 2

Quarterback Derek has come to Twin Pines because the great distance means his family isn’t around to get nosy about his dates, which allows him to stay firmly in the closet. Playing football is just a bonus. And then he meets the almost impossibly handsome quarterback, Brandon Sanders, a man worth coming out for. Brandon’s refined looks hide a dark and compelling desire that is conflicted by his father’s demands for perfection. To placate his controlling father, Brandon has always lived a closeted and unfulfilling existence. Determined to have Brandon by any means necessary, Derek engages him in a contest wherein the victor will have total control over the loser. The erotic struggle ends with Derek triumphant and ready to have Brandon’s willing submission to his lusts. But when he finds out Brandon has never gone all the way, Derek has to decide if he’ll claim his prize or not. Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Shape-shifter Length: 26,257 words

QUARTERBACK Gridiron Gods 2

Anitra Lynn McLeod

EROTIC ROMANCE MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove

QUARTERBACK Copyright © 2011 by Anitra Lynn McLeod E-book ISBN: 1-61926-044-1 First E-book Publication: November 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Quarterback by Anitra Lynn McLeod from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Anitra Lynn McLeod’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. McLeod’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION For the Jokester, who taught me that laughter really is the best medicine.

QUARTERBACK Gridiron Gods 2 ANITRA LYNN MCLEOD Copyright © 2011

Chapter 1 “Dude, I thought you were straight.” Derek Simmons, who was sitting next to Brandon Sanders on the Twin Pines Grizzlies team bus, scooted away playfully. “Liar. You’re just cheesed he didn’t hit on you.” Kevin shoved Derek’s shoulder, pushing him across the bench seat into Brandon, who wrapped his arms around Derek and tried to kiss him. Rather than duck away, Derek planted one on Brandon. It was something he’d been wanting to do since he’d met Brandon at the allmale college. If this had to happen in the middle of a bus on the way to a football game, then so be it. Brandon’s mouth gave against his. When Brandon parted his lips, Derek almost lost his mind. Brandon tasted so good Derek went from soft to hard in less than two seconds. This close, the scent of Brandon’s expensive cologne filled his lungs and increased his arousal. Brandon always looked good, smelled good, and now Derek could confirm that he felt good, too. All around them the rest of the football team was watching, but Derek didn’t care. After dreaming of the drop-dead gorgeous quarterback for months, if he got to kiss Brandon by playing gay chicken, that was fine with him. When Brandon not only kissed Derek

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back, but cupped his strong, capable hand to Derek’s bulge, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven. Brandon fondled Derek’s erection with the same finesse he used on the field. There was a reason Brandon was called the man with the golden hands. Not to be outdone, Derek eased Brandon’s zipper down, exposing a thick prick nestled in black hair. Derek wrapped his fist around Brandon’s shaft and started to pump. Brandon moaned low and sexy. Resisting the urge to lean over and take Brandon’s dick into his mouth took all of Derek’s willpower. “Holy shit!” Derek had no idea who said it, but he agreed with the sentiment. Not once in all his fantasies had he dreamed anything like this. Darting his gaze to the window, which reflected their images against the darkness, Derek realized they were a visually stunning pair. Beautiful black-haired Brandon with his pale complexion contrasted perfectly with Derek’s platinum-blond hair and darkly tanned body. East Coast preppy meets California surfer. While he and Brandon were all over each other, their teammates formed a protective circle around them, blocking them from the view of the coach and the other players. If Derek had known openly challenging Brandon was the ticket into his tightly packed pants, he would have done this a long time ago. Countless times Derek had reached under the covers to stroke himself into oblivion with thoughts of Brandon on his mind. But this reality was so much better than any fantasy. Brandon’s hand was big, strong, and dexterous. He knew exactly how hard to squeeze his fist, how to ease his palm up for a tugging stroke, and just how quickly to swipe the pad of his thumb across the tingling crown of Derek’s cock. Had the bus not hit a dip in the road and jostled them apart, Derek was pretty sure that kiss and their grasping hands would have led to simultaneous orgasms. But the bus bounced, and the moment was

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ruined. Derek wanted to roar with frustration. Breathing deeply, Brandon met his gaze with heavy-lidded eyes. “Later,” Brandon promised, tucking his beautiful cock back into black jeans that Derek wanted to tear his way into. That particular pair clung to every muscle the man possessed. They looked like they were painted on, and Derek wanted to peel them off. With his teeth. “Bring it,” Derek offered, adjusting the prominent bulge in his faded jeans. Even as he postured like what had just happened meant nothing to him, he was bound and determined to make the dazzling quarterback his. Derek had always thought he had an uphill battle, what with the assumption Brandon was straight. In his time, Derek had seduced a handful of straight guys, or at least guys who were secretly bi, but Brandon had always presented himself as so damnably heterosexual that Derek thought conquering him would be the gay equivalent of climbing Everest. However, that kiss, and the interrupted hand job, said Brandon was anything but straight. When the other guys crowded in and started discussing how many of them were gay, Derek almost lost his eyebrows. They rose so high they damn near fell right off his face. Most of the guys on the first string were gay. Not openly, since that had caused some of them problems, but now with so many of them coming out, the rumor that all-male Twin Pines College was gay friendly might become more than a rumor. When one guy asked why the other guys were always bragging about scoring on chicks, it was Brandon who spoke up. “Fronting.” Brandon shrugged. “I do it all the time. I don’t mean to. It’s just a holdover from high school. Being out in that environment wasn’t an option. Hell, my own dad practically disowned me when he just thought I was gay.” “Me, too,” Derek agreed, pleased that he and Brandon had another thing in common. “It’s easier to fit in if I keep everything on the down low.” And he had. Until now. He was sick and tired of lying about himself. He liked cock, always had and always would.

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Moreover, he liked one cock in particular, and that was Brandon’s. The glimpse and fleeting touch he’d gotten today were only going to spur more intense dreams. But at least now when he checked Brandon out in the locker room he didn’t have to worry about a fist to the face. Derek was certain he could have gotten Brandon to continue what they’d started, but for a reminder from the equipment manager that getting caught could mean getting kicked off the team. Away games were a chance to get away from campus and have some fun, but Coach Miller had strict rules of no drinking, drugs, or sex. Derek was pretty sure the no sex included his teammates. Reminded, he and Brandon settled into their seat, shoulders touching, testosterone zinging. To keep his hands off Brandon, Derek plucked a handheld gaming device from his team pack. Brandon followed suit. Thoughtfully, Danny, the waterboy and equipment manager, had ensured the consoles were fully charged. Derek had high hopes that at the motel he would get to share a room with Brandon, and one way or another he was going to find a way to have a tryst, but he watched with almost crushing disappointment as Brandon went off to room with three other guys, none of whom was Derek himself. Sexually frustrated, Derek climbed into the narrow twin bed and promptly lost himself in a fantasy of Brandon. Careful to keep his movements to almost nothing and his breathing smooth and even, Derek slipped his hand below the covers, eased his boxers down, then took his cock in hand. Hard as hell, his cock filled his fist. Derek gritted his teeth not to exhale a long moan of repressed longing. In his mind, Brandon was mostly undressed. Shirtless, shoeless, wearing only tight black football pants that cupped his perfect buns, Brandon stood with his feet slightly apart and his hands on his hips. A light sheen of sweat covered Brandon’s muscular body. While looking right at him, Brandon worked apart the lace up fly, those dexterous fingers slipping the fabric down to reveal a black jock with

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a thick, elastic waistband. When Brandon turned and pushed the back of his pants down, black jock straps cupped under each one of his muscular buns, leaving his pale and perfect cheeks bare. “Help me with these, won’t you?” Turning his head, flipping back sweat-drenched black hair, Brandon urged Derek closer. Stepping against him, easing apart his own fly, Derek slipped his prick from his pants then helped Brandon slide his pants down and off. Now all Brandon wore was the jock strap that showed off the flawlessness of his form. Angling forward, offering up that faultless ass, Brandon compelled Derek to slide his cock along the cleft of his buttocks. Sweat slicked their flesh, allowing them to slide against each other with almost no friction. “Fuck me, Derek.” Brandon gripped his hands against the wall, steadying himself. With the perfection of a dream, Derek had a bottle of slick lube appear in his hand. Drizzling the clear liquid over his cock, he continued to tease himself between Brandon’s buns. Just when he thought he couldn’t take any more torment, Brandon pressed his chest to the wall, reached back, and parted his cheeks. Dropping his prick down, easing the head against his tight little pucker caused both of them to growl. Ever so slowly, Derek moved forward, slipping his cock within the clutching heat of Brandon’s welcoming body. “That’s it. That’s what I need.” Turning his head, Brandon riveted his ice-blue eyes on Derek. “Fuck me, Derek. Fuck me good and hard.” Happy to oblige, Derek gripped the meat of Brandon’s hips and thrust into him so firmly he pressed him into the wall. Just then Derek remembered where he was. If he lost control in a motel room full of teammates, he would never hear the end of it. Holding his hand steady along his cock, he slowed his breathing,

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listening intently. When all he heard was the deep breathing of sleep, he resumed his fantasy. Harder and faster he rode against Brandon, pinning him against the wall. All the while Brandon was egging him on with a stream of dirty talk. Matching him, Derek leaned up on him right as he started to come. “That’s it. Milk my cock with that sweet, tight ass of yours.” Brandon clenched his muscles, working the full length of Derek’s cock. Below the covers, Derek mimicked the feel of Brandon by fluttering his stacked fists around his shaft. He felt his balls tightening until his orgasm was inevitable. Biting the edge of his pillow, rapidly flicking his wrist against the crown as he lightly cupped his palm around his dick, Derek stifled a cry as he came. Heart pounding, body shaking, Derek released the pillow from between his teeth so he could lift his head and listen. Snoring and the sounds of three guys sleeping. With a sigh of relief, he laid back in his bed. Recovering alone in the dark, Derek swore that soon, very soon, he would make his fantasies a reality.

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Chapter 2 Brandon was flying. His feet barely touched the turf as he ran down the field. Like a perfectly oiled machine, his teammates cleared away the opposition. Those they missed, Brandon outran. In slow motion, he saw them reaching for him, but they were a shade short of contact, a breath shy of impeding him in any way. Once he hit the end zone, he resisted the urge to spike the ball. Instead, he cradled the pigskin in the crook of his arm and turned to receive the back slaps and chest bumps of his exuberant teammates. Winning felt good, but winning by such an enormous margin felt even better. Brandon wasn’t sure what had changed, but somehow, in someway, the entire team had morphed into a cohesive creature. Rather than a bunch of individual cells following their own path, everyone merged into one unified whole. If they kept this up, they could really take the Twin Pine Grizzlies to the championships despite the initial losses. Across the sweep of green, his gaze connected to Derek’s. Below his black helmet and above his face guard, ice-blue eyes that were the exact same shade as Brandon’s peered at him. Even though he couldn’t see his mouth, he knew Derek was grinning. As well he should. He’d executed a perfect shotgun snap, delivering the ball several yards behind him and right into Brandon’s waiting hands. Brandon’s teammates called him the man with the golden hands, which he loved, but he wouldn’t be nearly as spectacular without Derek making him look good. During play, Brandon kept his attention so riveted on the mechanics of the game he didn’t have time to

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indulge in wicked thoughts. But once the game was over and Brandon found himself alone in his off-campus apartment, he indulged the very depth of his kinky mind. And his brain was a bottomless pit of depravity, especially where Derek, the bronzed surfer god, was concerned. One of the most common scenarios was him lining up behind Derek as he bent over, ready to snap the ball. Brandon’s hands were spread apart, thumbs touching and directly under Derek’s crotch. Suddenly, all the men on the field disappeared, along with Derek’s pants. Turning his hands palms up, Brandon cupped Derek’s thick prick, stroking him to hardness. With the lace up fly of his pants loose and the pants pushed down so that the fly cradled his rock-hard cock, Brandon stepped forward until the tip of his prick was pressing insistently against Derek’s tight ass. Brandon would fill Derek with delicious slowness, not stopping until he was balls deep. Once he was, he would wrap his arms around Derek and pull him up, keeping their bodies entwined, so that they were standing back to front. Golden hands would spread across Derek’s hips, and Brandon would ride him until they both came. All this flashed through his mind in an instant. As the team celebrated the win by high-fiving, hugging, chest bumping, and the occasional ass slap, Brandon couldn’t help but divide his attention between acknowledging their congratulations and looking for Derek. After what had happened on the bus, he wanted to find out if there was really something there, or if that kiss and truncated hand job was just a joke gone too far. Brandon had thought about Derek since he’d met him on campus, but he honestly thought the towheaded hunk was straight. When Brandon had admitted to fronting, and Derek had agreed with him, Brandon felt a zing from his toes to the tip of his prick. Now all those dirty dreams could come true. All those hot fantasies of finding every sensitive spot on Derek’s powerful body, and exploiting them, filled

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Brandon with anticipation. As a group, the Grizzlies descended on the locker room. Filthy and sweaty gear was wrenched off and tossed aside as guys headed for the shower. Frantic now to find Derek and test the tentative connection between them, Brandon turned his head this way and that, his gaze scanning through the rows of beautiful male bodies. Where once he might have been distracted, or turned to tend to his own grubby body, Brandon needed to connect to Derek even if only for a fleeting moment, like he had on the field. If only he’d been closer to him, he might have been able to tell if there was more to that smile than happiness at a job well done. Brandon hoped with all his might that Derek’s grin had held a hint of wanton longing. “Let it be mutual,” Brandon begged. “Great job with that touchdown.” Brandon swung his head to the left. Derek was beside him. Naked, wet, and covered in spicy-scented bubbles, Derek somehow seemed larger here than he did on the field. Neat trick, that, considering how much gear he wore out there. Relief eased the tension out of Brandon’s shoulders, but anticipation ramped the tightness right back up. For the life of him, he wasn’t sure how to proceed. He didn’t want to rush into anything, but he didn’t want Derek to look elsewhere, either. Determinedly, Brandon kept his attention above Derek’s waist. That was, until Derek lowered his head, which caused his wet hair to sluice down and partially obscure his eyes. Twin orbs of ice blue peered between strands of platinum blond. The move was sexy as hell, and judging by the proud look on Derek’s face, he knew it. Grinning the most filthy grin on the planet, Derek said, “Look at my cock. I know you want to.” Narrowing his gaze, trying to determine what Derek was playing at now, Brandon gave himself a moment by rinsing his hair under the showerhead. A powerful stream of hot water drowned out the sounds of the tiled room, but it didn’t make a dent in his burning desire to

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look at Derek. What utterly unnerved Brandon was why he was resisting in the first place. Why did this feel like a competition? If he looked at Derek first, Derek would win, but what, exactly, would he win? The cock looking contest? The whole idea was utterly juvenile. Pulling his head from under the water, Brandon met Derek’s gaze then deliberately lowered his attention down his massive chest to his trim hips then settled on his prick. A puff of bubbles clung to his dark-brown pubic hair, making his semi-hard prick stand out. As he watched, Derek palmed the bubbles around his shaft, and stroked. Within two trips, Derek was fully hard, his dick standing at attention. Never in his life had Brandon seen such sexy moves so casually displayed. Just looking at Derek’s cock made his mouth water, causing Brandon to lick his lips. Remembering the feel of his flesh in his hand spurred him to reach out, but just as he was going to make contact, Derek gave a grunt of satisfaction, like he’d known Brandon would give in. Brandon pulled his hand back. When Derek uttered a growl of disappointment, Brandon couldn’t help but grin. Lifting his gaze, Brandon peered right into Derek’s eyes as he built up a thick lather between his palms. If this was some kind of sexual competition, Brandon would give Derek a run for his money. Derek wasn’t the first man who wanted to wrestle for literal and figurative supremacy, and Brandon found the confrontation immensely stimulating. He’d heard challenging was fairly common among two tops who found each other appealing. Bringing this massive and gorgeous hunk to his knees would be beyond pleasurable. The only thing that gave Brandon pause was wondering what Derek would make him do if he lost. Just what type of sexual favors would Derek demand? Still, he’d never run from a dare, and he wasn’t about to start now. “Did you know there’s another reason they call me the man with the golden hands?” Derek’s brows lifted. “That right?”

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“You felt my hand on your cock. You know exactly how talented I am.” Brandon worked the suds over his neck, down his pecks, then cupped his own rapidly hardening cock. Derek’s gaze tracked his movements. When Brandon stroked his prick with excruciating slowness, Derek groaned and his hips flicked forward. “Tell me, Derek, how much do you want my hands on you?” Yanking his attention off his groin, Derek peered directly into his eyes. “As much as you want mine on you.” Around them, guys were finishing up and leaving the shower room behind. As he and Derek lingered, toying with one another, they soon found themselves alone. “There’s a way to find out who really has the golden hands.” Derek glanced around, confirming they had the shower area all to themselves. “Is that so?” Intrigued, and as clean as he was going to get, Brandon stopped scrubbing himself and now just stood letting the hot water pour over his body. “Yeah, that’s so, pretty little preppy boy.” Arching one brow, Brandon considered the semi-slur. “Fine, dirty little surfer boy.” Flashing him a grin that was liquid sex, Derek said, “After all this soap and water, I don’t think I’m dirty anymore.” “Not in body, at any rate.” Derek stepped closer. “Nothing will ever get my filthy mind clean.” “That’s not surprising.” Brandon paused. “And also not a bad thing at all.” “You really think you can make me come before I can make you come?” Derek asked. “Is that what this bet is going to be about?” “Yeah. Let’s see who loses control first.” Derek stepped into him. His bigger, broader body blocked Brandon’s view of anything but

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Derek. “Are you trying to intimidate me?” Brandon deliberately moved closer. “Just letting you realize that when I win”—Derek lowered his voice to a husky growl—“and I will win”—he moved incrementally closer to Brandon—“you’re going to have to deal with all this pounding into your sweet, tight ass.” “Ah.” Brandon traced his finger down Derek’s chest. “This is a competition to see who will be the bottom for the other?” While nodding slowly, Derek traced his finger along Brandon’s chest. When he reached Brandon’s nipple, he twisted. Not a quick twist, but a slow twist, almost like he was looking to see how much Brandon enjoyed a rough touch. Brandon’s cock twitched, indicating in no uncertain terms that he not only liked it rough, he loved it. Most men he’d been with were East Coast, old-money reserved like himself. They weren’t known for their passion or for trying something kinky. To most of his hookups, male-on-male contact was considered the height of perverse, which was probably why they were all in the closet, and Brandon hadn’t been willing to come out either. His encounters had been fun but not exactly what he wanted. This, with Derek, would give him the excuse he needed to do what he’d secretly longed for. Being a bottom was something he’d never done but always wanted to try. Still, his nerves held him undecided. What if he changed his mind? What if it hurt too much? “I could tell right away that you’re secretly into being dominated.” Derek slid his hand to the other nipple, twisting it even slower and harder. When Brandon hissed a breath, Derek grinned. “Oh yeah. My beautiful preppy boy is gonna look so good on his back with his legs spread.” Brandon realized he could just give in, and maybe make this a more leisurely exploration, but if he did, he would ruin something that Derek needed. Worse, he might miss out on something that would

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really turn him on. Derek didn’t want to abuse Brandon. Derek was fiercely competitive. Winning the right to dominate Brandon would increase his pleasure threefold. Moreover, if things went too far too fast, and he was hurting, Brandon knew Derek would stop. Determined to make him work for what he wanted, Brandon reached for Derek’s nipple. Twisting in the same deliberate way, he watched as Derek’s eyes lit up. “I think my hunky surfer boy will look even better on his back.” Brandon angled his face so close to Derek’s he was almost kissing him but not quite. “With his legs bound and spread along with his arms.” Derek growled. “Let the games begin.” “Bring it.” With the gauntlet thrown down, Brandon lowered his hand to Derek’s cock. Hard, big, and surprisingly hot, Derek’s prick filled his hand to overflowing. Derek wrapped his fist around Brandon’s cock, his touch rough but not too much. It was clear Derek wanted to display barely leashed power. Knowing he trembled on the verge of control somehow made the encounter more intense. “You’ve got the most sensitive prick I’ve ever stroked, pretty boy.” Derek fondled him with firm finesse. Cupping Brandon’s balls with his free hand, which pressed him even closer, Derek added, “Uhoh. My bottom baby has already got tight balls. You’re close to losing it, and I’ve only just started.” Struggling for control, Brandon twisted his fist around the sensitive head of Derek’s cock, but he couldn’t get his other hand between their muscular bodies. Thoroughly frustrated, Brandon snarled, “It’s not a fair challenge if I can’t even—” Cutting him off with a kiss that stole his breath, Derek pushed Brandon’s back against the cold tile. Pressing his body against him trapped Brandon’s hand, preventing him from stroking while Derek

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continued to caress Brandon’s prick. “You’re gonna come for me, pretty boy. You’re gonna come good and hard and splatter all over my belly.” Brandon tried to resist, but Derek’s dirty talk and his expert fingers pushed him beyond endurance. “That’s it, baby. Give in. You know you want to. Those heavy balls of yours are so tight, so ready to release all that hot cum and declare me the victor.” When Brandon struggled to move, Derek pressed him more firmly against the wall. “I can already see you on your back, holding your own legs spread good and wide for me. After the first hard pump, you’ll be begging me for it. Pleading with me to ram my cock harder and deeper.” Pressing his mouth right to Brandon’s ear, Derek hissed, “You’ll be screaming for me to fuck you.” Closing his eyes against the visions Derek sparked with his wicked words, Brandon gritted his teeth and tried to distract himself, but he failed miserably. Despite his best efforts to resist, Brandon came in a body-shaking wave. Not ever in his life had Brandon ever come so hard. Before he could even catch his breath, Derek took possession of his mouth, kissing him with demanding insistence. “Ah yeah, your sweet, perfect ass is mine.” In that moment, Brandon knew Derek would extract every bit of his well-earned prize. Brandon trembled, but was it with excitement, fear, or both?

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Chapter 3 A surge of mastery galvanized Derek’s body when Brandon climaxed. Sure, he’d cheated a bit by pressing him against the wall and preventing him from stroking his cock, but he doubted Brandon would quibble. He was dead serious when he said he sensed a desire to be dominated in Brandon. Derek couldn’t put his finger on what, exactly, prompted this feeling, but it was true. Confirmation came when Brandon’s pupils widened at the mention of being mastered. Since they’d been standing out of the stream of warm water, their bodies had cooled considerably. Derek pulled Brandon under the stream to warm him up and wash him off. Before Derek realized what Brandon was doing, Brandon dropped to his knees and took Derek’s cock into his mouth. “Fuck!” Gripping one hand against the tile, Derek steadied himself as the rush of warm water competed with the powerful pleasure of Brandon’s sucking mouth. Twirling his tongue around the crown and under the tip caused Derek’s knees to go weak. Brandon didn’t suck his cock, he worshiped the entire length. “That’s it, pretty boy.” Easing his fingers through his dripping wet black hair, Derek moaned. “Wrap those perfect lips around my cock. Suck your master’s thick prick. I want to hear you, baby. I want to hear you choke.” Brandon deep throated him, gagging on his length, the sound of which echoed in the tiled room and pushed Derek over the edge. Against his will, he climaxed. Derek came so hard and so fast his entire body surged toward Brandon. Rather than move away, Brandon

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moved closer, cupping his balls and milking him dry. Brandon had barely finished when Derek pulled him to his feet and planted one on him. Kissing him deeply, Derek tried to wordlessly convey how wickedly talented Brandon’s mouth was. He’d pleased him thoroughly. More so than had any other guy Derek had ever been with. “Beautiful and perfect and so blissfully talented.” Derek held Brandon in a stream of water for a long time, crushing his body hard against his. As great as the climax had been, holding Brandon close felt even better. His slightly smaller body felt good against Derek’s. All their muscles seemed to line up perfectly. Even their now flaccid cocks nestled together harmoniously. Derek might have stayed this way for half the day, but when he heard the sound of the locker room door opening and closing, Derek eased Brandon from him and shut off the water. “We should catch up with the guys.” Brandon nodded. Grabbing two towels, Derek tossed one to Brandon then wrapped the other around his hips. “Brandon?” Turning, his ice-blue eyes shaded by heavy lids, Brandon didn’t quite meet Derek’s gaze. “Shit.” All the puffed-up pride from winning the bet abruptly drained away. “Did I hurt you?” Cupping Brandon’s chin, he lifted his head, but realized he was just manhandling him again. Letting go, he dropped his hands, not knowing what to do. “I’m sorry, I went too far.” “No.” Brandon met his gaze. “I’m just…dazed, I think.” Tenderly, Derek reached for his hand. When Brandon didn’t flinch away, the relief that went through Derek was so profound he almost started babbling incoherent apologies. Instead, Derek softly swore, “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.” He’d rather drop the stupid bet altogether than take a chance on screwing

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up his chance with Brandon. There was more here than just sex. Derek felt that truth right down to his toes. Tilting his head, giving him a most perplexed look, Brandon squeezed Derek’s hand. Lifting his free hand, Brandon pressed his finger against Derek’s lips. “Stop panicking, Derek. You didn’t hurt me.” “But I cheated,” Derek mumbled around his pressing finger. “I know, but I really don’t care. And I would have come first anyway.” Removing his silencing finger, Brandon ran the towel over his curly black hair, drying it with fast strokes. “Now, dry off, get dressed, and let’s get some food.” Danny Jones, affectionately called the waterboy when he was really the equipment manager, came into the shower room, humming happily to himself. Ever since he’d hooked up with Matthew, Danny had been a very happy man. “Hey, you guys done with those towels?” “Yeah, sure.” Derek tossed his towel and so did Brandon. Stuffing his concerns away for now, Derek dressed while watching Brandon do the same. When Brandon pulled up a pair of clinging black briefs, Derek felt his prick stir anew. Damn. Just a glimpse of the man’s underwear drove him to distraction. How the hell was he going to keep his focus on anything other than getting back into the pants Brandon pulled on? With a sigh, Derek straightened his shoulders, determined to keep his attention off Brandon for at least ten minutes. He glanced over at him. Okay, maybe he should start out slow and shoot for ten seconds. He grinned. Fuck it. There was nothing wrong with looking at his…boyfriend? Derek’s stomach rumbled. “Hungry?” “I guess so.” Letting the matter of exactly what he and Brandon were to each other drop for the moment, Derek gave Danny a high five as he passed. “You’re a miracle worker, dude.” Danny grinned. “It’s my job.”

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Single-handedly, Danny had turned the tornado of chaos that the Grizzlies left strewn all over the locker room back into spic-and-span order. Derek had no doubt that all their gear would be loaded onto the equipment truck while all of their personal duffels would be placed on the team bus. Danny always went above and beyond. He pretty much spoiled the hell out of the guys on the team. “He takes good care of us.” Brandon tucked his pale blue oxford shirt into his black jeans. “He does.” Derek fingered the collar of Brandon’s shirt then eased apart the top two buttons, exposing just a hint of Brandon’s chest hair. “That’s better.” “Is this one of your demands?” A hint of a grin lurked at the corners of Brandon’s mouth. “Yeah.” Derek cupped him through his jeans. “Be glad I let you wear underwear.” Finally dressed, Derek and Brandon made their way across the street, but the restaurant where their teammates were eating was packed. “We’ll never get service in there.” Brandon peered through the wall of windows that made up the front of the diner-style eatery. “And judging by the mounds of food in front of our teammates, there won’t be anything left to serve us anyway.” “Let’s try the sandwich shop.” Brandon pointed to the brightly lit store just half a block down. Derek resisted the urge to hold Brandon’s hand as they walked along the busted-up sidewalk. As much as he wanted to reassure himself that all was right between them, he didn’t want to cause problems or possibly get involved in a fight. That would not go over well with the powers that be at Twin Pines. Derek sighed. Why anyone should care was a mystery he’d pondered a good portion of his life, but he had no answer to that. As proud as he was to be with Brandon, Derek wasn’t willing to do anything that might subject him to ridicule, or worse, possible harm.

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Not like Brandon was weak or anything, far from it. Just that Derek felt protective of him. How funny that after spending a lifetime in the closet, Derek wanted to come out and do so in a big way, with Brandon on his arm. In short order they had four sandwiches, four bags of chips, and two enormous drinks. Even then Derek was leery about that being enough food for the two of them. “I still think we should have gotten six.” Derek hefted the bag that held their food in one hand, his drink in the other. Brandon rolled his eyes. “I think we’ll survive until we get home. It’s only a four hour trip.” Groaning, Derek took a sip of his pop. “Four hours of sitting next to you and not being able to do anything.” “Poor baby.” “Ah, no. I get to call you baby.” Brandon flashed him an indulgent grin. “And what shall I call you? And I swear, if you say master, one of my sandwiches is going straight up your ass.” “Kinky. But rectal sandwich stuffing aside, what should I have you call me?” Derek pondered aloud while fiddling with his graphic T-shirt. “Master is pathetically clichéd. Um. Captain my captain?” Brandon made a face, so Derek tried a few others. “King? No, that’s a dog’s name. Lord? Your highness? Sir? Oh, I’ve got it. How about Boss?” Brandon’s brows lifted, and his breath hitched. “You’ve never had anyone boss you around, have you?” Given that Brandon was the heir to old money, he’d probably never worked a day in his life. Not that Derek was judging. Hell, his life would have been a lot easier if his folks had money. Brandon didn’t answer so much as he gave him a dirty look. “Boss it is because I’m the boss of you.” Derek leaned close and lowered his voice. “But only when we’re playing.” “And what will you call me when we’re playing?” Brandon

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sipped from his soda. Considering, Derek murmured, “You rather liked me calling you pretty boy, didn’t you?” A grin transformed Brandon’s face. “I don’t know why, but yes. I did.” “You are very pretty. Especially when you’re struggling not to come.” Brandon blushed. With his pale skin, the red showed clearly across his cheeks. “Oh, man, you’re killing me.” Up went Brandon’s brows. “When you blush like that, I just want to push you up against the nearest wall and—hey, what’s going on over there?” Brandon joined him in looking toward the equipment truck. The Grizzlies had so much gear they had their own semi-truck that hauled all their paraphernalia to their away games. Practically the entire team was clustered around the back end. Several guys who were on the ramp suddenly backed up. “Oh, man, I wonder if some sore loser trashed the gear?” He and Brandon ran toward the truck. What he saw when he looked within caused Derek to ease Brandon behind him, protecting him with his bigger body. A blond-brown grizzly bear was sitting on its huge butt and staring at the team members like it had a hankering for football player meat. Behind the bear, covered in blood, stood Dylan Peterson. Derek was baffled by what he saw, but he had an overwhelming urge to protect Brandon. Swamped by a curious feeling that made him feel dizzy and primed at the same time, Derek backed up, keeping Brandon behind him. And then suddenly the bear vanished, leaving behind a very naked Matthew and Danny. “Did a bear just turn into Matthew and Danny?” Derek wasn’t sure, exactly, what was going on, but when someone said the coach

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was coming, all the guys poured into the back of the truck, forming a protective circle around Matthew and Danny. If they got caught naked like that, they could get kicked off the team. Anthony and Ryan took off their shirts, passing them back to Matthew and Danny. Pushing his way into the truck, the coach took one look at the two nude guys, shook his head, then walked off with his clipboard shoved into his armpit. Mumblings rippled through the crowd of guys as they helped Danny and Matthew get dressed. Everyone just stared at Dylan Peterson. If not for his constant keeping himself separate from the team, guys might have tried to help him clean up, but they didn’t dare. Dylan had a reputation for being extremely homophobic, to the point he didn’t even like to be touched by other men. Dylan had chosen to ride with the equipment rather than on the team bus, and true to form, he did so on the way back. Not one of the three guys—Danny, Matthew, or Dylan—offered any kind of explanation, and the rest of the guys were too worried about getting back on the bus to press them for answers. Danny and Matthew were the last to board the team bus. They took a seat near the middle, but no one pressured them for an explanation. Danny looked like hell. Matthew held him protectively, glaring defensively when the coach gave him a dirty look. And then the strangest thing happened. Memories about what he’d actually seen started to get fuzzy. After a while, Derek knew something had happened in the back of the equipment truck, but he couldn’t recall the exact details. When he asked around, neither could anyone else. Unlike the ride up, where all the guys were filled with anticipatory energy, the ride back was amazingly sedate. Usually a win pushed everyone into celebratory madness, but not today. Most of the guys settled into seats and promptly fell asleep. Derek wasn’t sleepy at all. His body was sore from the game, but the real pain wouldn’t kick in until tomorrow. He had a brain in high

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gear churning up a plethora of dirty ideas. There were so many things he could do with Brandon. “So many perverted scenarios, so little time.” “What?” Brandon was sitting by the window, wrappers and crumbs the only things left of his food. “Nothing.” Looking around, Derek realized that the guys across from them were out, as were those in front and behind. Derek gathered up their garbage, stuffed it in the shopping bag, and then slid the sack under their seat. Pulling his duffle onto his lap, Derek effectively blocked the view of the guys across from them if they should wake up. “Take your cock out.” Derek kept his voice low. “What?” Brandon whispered back, his shock evident by the widening of his eyes. Turning to him, holding his gaze, Derek said very slowly, “Unzip your pants.” Brandon’s gaze darted around them. “Are you disobeying a direct order?” Brandon slid his zipper down. A big bulge pressed against the soft jersey of his briefs. “Push your underwear down. I want to see your cock.” Breathing heavily, Brandon shoved his underwear down, exposing the upper portion of his prick. “Slide your pants down just a bit. I want to see your cock and your balls.” Even though it was clear Brandon was worried about what Derek had in mind, he obeyed his orders. Pressing his neck against the back of the seat, Brandon angled his hips up enough to push his pants out of the way. Once he did, he slid his briefs down until his cock and balls were exposed to Derek’s gaze. “That’s my pretty boy.” Empowered by the rush control gave him, Derek slipped his hand below his duffle and massaged his rapidly hardening bulge.

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Brandon kept his gaze lowered. “Beautiful.” Pale afternoon sunlight filtered in through the window, causing Brandon’s black pubic hair to glitter. “What do you want me to do?” Swallowing hard, Brandon looked around, but subtly, so as not to draw attention to himself. “Tell me about the raunchiest thing you’ve ever done.” “Derek, I really don’t think—” “That’s right. You don’t think, you do.” For a brief moment, Derek thought Brandon would disobey. “Perhaps we should take this opportunity to discuss your punishment for refusing to follow my orders.” Obviously considering what that might entail, Brandon slumped a bit more in his seat. “I had a guy suck me off underwater.” “Interesting, but not really raunchy.” Derek cupped his own cock through his jeans. “I want to hear a dirty story that I can jack off to while I look at your dick.” Brandon’s cock slowly grew. “Look who just woke up.” Derek leaned a bit closer so his breath tickled Brandon’s ear. “I guess you like dirty talk, pretty boy.” When Brandon reached for his cock, Derek tsked. “I didn’t tell you to touch yourself.” Frustrated, Brandon put his hand back by his side. “Good boy. Now, tell me a dirty story. If you’ve never done anything really filthy, then you can make it up.” “My mind is utterly blank.” Derek sighed. A hundred different ideas crowded into his mind all at once. But a new and far more wicked scheme gripped him. “Tell me what you want me to do to you.” Brandon swallowed hard. “And I want you to be honest. Kinky, dirty, dark, and totally truthful.” “No holds barred?” “None. Include anything and everything.” Derek swore he’d make

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it happen even if he had to max out every single credit card he had. Eyes closed, Brandon softly said, “I’m headstrong and rebellious, so the first thing you should do is train me.” “Train you?” “To obey. Like what you’re doing now. Teaching me to follow your orders no matter what. I have to learn to trust you because you would never, ever do anything to hurt or humiliate me.” Derek nodded but realized Brandon couldn’t see him doing that, not with his eyes closed. “I would never harm you, Brandon. If this ever goes too far…” Derek trailed off because he had no idea how Brandon could put the brakes on a situation if Derek were in charge. “If you go too far, I’ll use the safe word Constantinople. That way, you’ll know I’m uncomfortable and I want you to stop whatever is going on.” “Okay.” Derek would remember that word as it was distinctive and not likely to come up in casual conversation. “If you say Constantinople, I’ll stop whatever I’m doing.” Derek paused. “What if you like what I’m doing and want me to keep going?” Brandon grinned. “Oh, you’ll know.” When Derek looked to Brandon’s lap, he discovered Brandon was getting harder. “You’re right. I’ll know.” “Once you know that I’ll willingly obey you, you’ll have to make sure I’m ready for you because we both know your ultimate goal is to fuck me.” Grinning, Derek licked his lips when Brandon’s prick quivered when he said the word fuck. “That’s right. I want to fuck you good, long, and hard.” Moaning, Brandon sank a little lower in his seat. “How will I get you ready for my big, thick cock?” “You’ll need to train my ass. Literally.” Derek’s hand gripped up hard on his own cock. “Explain that to me. Nice and slow.” Derek eased his own zipper down, shoved his underwear out of the way, then took his prick in hand.

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Chapter 4 In dirty, raunchy detail, Brandon described exactly how Derek should go about training him. As he talked, he felt movement against his left elbow. Brandon realized Derek was stroking himself, very slowly, underneath his duffle. So far, Brandon wasn’t allowed to touch himself. With his arms at his sides, cock exposed, he sat getting ever harder as he told Derek in no uncertain terms how to treat him. What seemed a lifetime ago, back in Boston, Brandon had indulged in BDSM with a hookup. He couldn’t remember the man’s name as the affair had been terribly fleeting. Worse, their relationship had ended rather abruptly when Brandon refused to go into what his friend called edgeplay. Right on the edge of sanity, his lover had wanted things done to him that Brandon considered far too dangerous to engage in. Scenarios that could get him killed if things went wrong. Long after he was gone, Brandon continued to think about the more sane things they had done, the things that had intrigued and aroused Brandon by virtue of their uniqueness. For a while, he thought he was attracted simply by how different what they had done was from everything else he’d ever done. Kinky encounters with rough talk, black leather, domination, and submission interested him because they were new. He thought after a while the novelty would wear off and so would his interest. When his fascination didn’t fade away, Brandon realized he’d found something that he wanted to do more of, but only with the right partner. Taking charge was something Brandon had indulged easily, almost effortlessly, as he usually directed the course of his relationships anyway. But what had stuck with him at the end of that

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one was how much he wanted to relinquish control to another. Not that man, because Brandon hadn’t trusted him, but to someone he could trust implicitly. It was a dangerous thing, to give someone else permission to use him as he would. Derek was perfect as the rough and raunchy master because he would never do anything to harm or humiliate Brandon. But there was a major holdup. Since Derek clearly had no idea about the finer points of BDSM, like safe words and such, Brandon had worried about how to tell him. Sitting down and having a frank discussion would somehow suck all the spark right out of the encounters. Inadvertently, Derek had given him the perfect opportunity to tell him what he wanted without making it seem like detailed instructions, when, in fact, that was exactly what this was. “And where are we to get all these tools?” Derek’s breath hitched, and from the movement of his arm, Brandon guessed he was very close to climax. “I have them.” Without looking, he knew Derek’s brows just lifted. “Good. When we get back, you’ll show them to me.” Brandon nodded. “I can’t hear you.” “Yes, Boss.” A quiver of trepidation tingled along Brandon’s nerves. He’d never had a job, so he’d never had to call anyone by that particular title. Instinctively, Derek had tapped into exactly what Brandon craved. Being bossed around was profoundly exciting. “Tell me, pretty boy, with all this work I’ve got to do to ready your sweet ass, have you ever done this before?” “No.” There was a long pause, and Brandon almost looked over at Derek. “You’ve never had a cock in your ass?” Derek asked. “No.” “Holy fucking shit.”

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Not once, in all his relationships, had Brandon ever had any of his lovers penetrate him. Fingers were one thing, and a tongue there was sublime, but he’d never allowed any man to put his cock there. Brandon had never wanted to until he’d met Derek. Why him, Brandon wasn’t sure, but the craving was strong. When the two of them had inadvertently stumbled upon this game, Brandon had taken the opportunity to explore both desires. With Derek’s help, he could experience the release of being dominated and the pleasure of being penetrated. “My pretty virgin boy.” The way Derek accented the word virgin told Brandon he wouldn’t be one for long. “You’ve got me so close,” Derek whispered. Brandon looked over, but the enormous duffle on Derek’s lap blocked his view. “I could take care of that for you, Boss.” While looking him right in the eye, Brandon licked his lips. Clearly concerned about getting caught, Derek examined the guys closest to them. Brandon followed suit. The two across the aisle from them were snoring gently, and those in front both had earbuds stuffed into their heads. Turning to look casually behind him, Brandon found those two guys, only one in each seat, were both sleeping. Not that getting caught would get them a beat down or anything, not with this group, but Brandon didn’t want the coach to have something else to get pissy about. Coach Miller continued to fume lightly in the front of the bus. Still, the thrill of sneaking, of potentially getting caught, had hardened Brandon even more. “You want to suck my cock, pretty boy?” Brandon nodded. And he did. His mouth was watering he wanted to suck him so badly. “I can’t hear you.” “Yes, Boss, I want to suck your cock.” Pushing the duffle off to the side and angling it so it rested on the

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round end, Derek blocked the view should the guys across from them wake up. Derek was indeed on the verge of climax. His balls were high and tight, nestled close to his swollen prick. “Suck it, pretty boy.” Brandon didn’t need to be told twice. Leaning over, he took Derek’s prick into his mouth, sucking gently. “Ah, yeah.” Derek tangled his hand in Brandon’s hair. “That’s my pretty boy with the best cocksucking mouth in the entire world.” In Brandon’s lap, his cock twitched. All he needed was a stroke or two and he’d come in a torrent, but it was clear Derek had other plans. “Lap at my balls, pretty boy.” Obeying his orders, Brandon cupped Derek’s tight balls into his palm, lifted them, then ran his tongue along the hairy sac. Derek moaned low and deep, his massive body shaking the seat a little as he scooted down. At this angle, Derek couldn’t thrust, which was a good thing as his cock was massive. Brandon could barely take his entire length into his mouth. Still, he tried to take more, which rubbed Derek’s tip against the back of his throat, choking him lightly, the sound of which clearly drove Derek into madness. “Ah, yeah, pretty boy, choke on my cock. You want to milk me dry with those sweet lips of yours, don’t you?” Bobbing his head, Brandon agreed with that assessment utterly. He wanted to feel Derek spew hard down his throat. He wanted to drink so deeply of him he would know him right down to his soul. Brandon eased his probing finger under Derek’s balls, pressing firmly on the spot between his sac and his ass. “What—oh—fuck!” Derek climaxed. Brandon continued to massage that spot, knowing that it would indeed pump his master dry. Muttering softly into his chest, Derek tightened his fingers in Brandon’s hair. Derek wasn’t forcing his head anywhere. It was more

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an instinctual reaction to simply hang on against an onslaught of such enormous pleasure. Once Brandon had drained him utterly, Derek pulled him up and kissed him deeply. “You and your sexy mouth.” Derek grinned, stroking his finger over Brandon’s bottom lip. “You could bring your master to his knees with that skill.” Pleased, Brandon blushed. He never had been much of a blusher, but he was around Derek and wasn’t quite sure why. “Oh, God, that look on your face.” Growling, Derek kissed him again with such passion Brandon almost came. Whimpering now, his prick so tormented he was almost in pain, Brandon gazed into Derek’s eyes with plaintive appeal. “Look at my pretty boy’s prick.” Following Derek’s gaze down to his lap, Brandon thought his dick had never looked bigger. He was so hard the vein along the side was pulsing against the tautness of his shaft. Lowering his head to whisper directly into Brandon’s ear, Derek said, “Would you like to stroke your cock while I watch?” “Yes, Boss. Please.” Brandon made the foolish mistake of lifting his hand. “Put your hand back at your side,” Derek snarled. “I asked you a question. I didn’t give you permission.” Frustrated beyond belief, Brandon returned his hand to his side. “Aw, poor baby. That cock does look painfully hard. Why, look, there’s even a tear at the tip like it’s crying.” A drop of pre-cum hung on the edge as if his prick wept with abject frustration. “Rock your hips, Brandon.” Knowing it would only aggravate his situation, but desperate to please and possibly get off, Brandon rocked his hips. The movement jostled his cock, smearing the pre-cum over his belly. Brandon quickly realized if he thrust up just right, he could rub the tip against

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his abs. Unfortunately, the contact wasn’t strong enough to get him off, not when his pre-cum lubed all the friction away. “Are you trying to fuck against your own belly?” Derek snickered against Brandon’s ear. “So hot and randy you’ll even fuck yourself!” Lowering his massive hand, Derek held his palm about an inch above Brandon’s cock. “Can you feel the heat of my hand?” “Yes, Boss.” Brandon’s instinct was to ram his hips up and hit that source of moist heat, but he didn’t dare. If he didn’t do exactly as Derek wished, he could punish him by refusing to let him climax at all. It was the possibility of greater torment that held Brandon still. “Such a good, obedient little pretty boy.” Derek held his hand perfectly centered so that the heat radiated down over Brandon’s entire shaft. “Beg me.” Eyes closed, Brandon whispered, “Please let me come.” “That’s it?” Derek sighed, his hot and moist breath filling Brandon’s ear, heightening the torment he already felt. “If we were anywhere but on this bus, I would make you get on your knees and beg me with that sexy mouth of yours. I’d make you rub your aching prick against things to torment you more.” “Things like what?” “The rough fabric of the couch, the smooth wood of the table, the textured velvet of the wallpaper.” Brandon had no idea what room these objects were in, but he could imagine himself humping around this imaginary place while Derek watched. For some reason, he pictured Derek in a leather easy chair, leaning back with his feet up, his hand cupped absently to his jean-clad bulge. “If I could, I’d keep you naked all the time, so that whenever I had an urge, I wouldn’t have to wait.” Derek slowly licked the very tip of his tongue along the outer edge of Brandon’s ear. His tongue swiped from the middle down to the lobe, which he then pulled into his mouth, biting gently. Imagining that wicked attention along the length of his cock caused Brandon to moan and his prick to twitch. “I’d be

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able to shove you over anytime I wanted, grease up my cock, and bury it right in your tight ass.” Picturing himself bent over the back of the couch in his own apartment, with Derek primed behind him, caused more pre-cum to leak from his cock. “You like that idea, pretty boy?” Brandon nodded. “Yes, Boss.” “I’d make you spread your cheeks for me, too.” Now the picture in Brandon’s mind sharpened. He was bent over his expensive leather couch, his trembling hands exposing his puckered flesh, while Derek stood menacingly behind him. “I’d look at that quivering hole, that perfect pink hole, while I greased up my cock. Can you see me doing that?” “Yes, Boss.” Brandon could picture the scene vividly in his mind. “When I’m good and ready, I’ll step forward, line my big prick up with your sweet little hole…” Derek trailed off, and Brandon waited breathlessly for him to finish. “And then shove”—Derek dropped his hand, palming Brandon’s prick—“my cock into you.” The heat and pressure of his hand pushed Brandon even higher into torment. He was so frustrated he was almost in tears. “Wouldn’t that feel good?” “Yes, Boss, yes.” “You want to come for me?” “Yes, Boss. Please.” As badly as Brandon wanted to thrust against Derek’s hand, he didn’t dare. He didn’t think he could take any more denial. “Fuck my hand, pretty boy.” Derek pressed his hand firmly against Brandon’s cock. “I want to watch you get off.” Being given permission galvanized him. Brandon thrust as hard and as fast as he could against Derek’s palm. When Derek curled his middle finger down, seeking out that same sensitive spot that Brandon

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had stroked on him, Brandon had to grit his teeth not to cry out. Riding hard, the tip of his prick was now pressing against Derek’s wrist. “You’re gonna come so hard it’ll splatter all over the window. Won’t that feel good, baby?” Baby. As much as Brandon enjoyed being called pretty boy, he liked this term of endearment a hell of a lot more. And Derek’s tone had softened. He was almost kind now, probably because he realized he’d pushed Brandon right to the edge. But Brandon knew better than to say anything but, “Yes, Boss.” “You’re gonna come so hard, and it will feel so fucking good.” Brandon’s balls felt so tight they almost hurt. “Now, baby. Come for me.” Derek massaged his finger over that spot with firm insistence. Brandon came so hard he practically screamed. Aftershocks shook him, and if not for Derek planting his mouth over his, he would have cried out in relief. Slumping down into his seat, his body utterly spent, Brandon passed out.

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Chapter 5 Infinitely pleased with himself for driving Brandon into a sexual coma, Derek cleaned him and then covered him up, all without disturbing him. “Sleep, baby. I’ve got you.” Derek found the act of caring for Brandon incredibly empowering. He wasn’t at all familiar with the notion of tending to his lover in such a way, but given how hard and far he’d pushed Brandon, he needed a softer approach right now. It fed Derek’s ego and his pride that he could provide intense pleasure and soft aftercare. Once he had things set to rights, Derek slumped down and leaned against Brandon. He was a little sleepy, but he didn’t fall asleep, despite the gentle swaying of the bus and the luring scent of Brandon’s cologne. Too much crowded in his mind for attention to let him drift off. Derek couldn’t wait to get back to campus and talk about everything that had happened on this away game trip, but also, he wanted to be alone with Brandon somewhere Brandon could make all the noise he wanted. Just remembering his repressed whimpers of longing gave Derek a partial erection. He considered giving himself a hand job, but nixed the idea. Saving up his raging needs to expend them on Brandon was a much hotter torment than giving in would be. Just as he’d pushed Brandon to wait, he thought he should do the same with himself. Delaying release had practically put Brandon into orbit. If he did the same to himself while tormenting Brandon, they would probably explode when they climaxed. “Death by mutual orgasm.”

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When Brandon stirred at the sound of his voice, Derek soothed him back to sleep. With what Derek had in store for him, Brandon was going to need all the rest he could get. **** “Damn, this place is nice.” Derek knew Brandon came from money, but he never realized just how much until he saw his apartment. Expensive leather and chrome furniture, thick rugs, and genuine oil paintings were perfectly placed around the open and airy space. “Thank you.” After hanging up his jacket, Brandon took Derek’s letterman jacket, placed the coat on a hanger, then slipped it into the closet next to the entrance. Derek shook his head. “What?” Brandon asked. “I just usually toss it on the nearest chair.” “Would you like me to do that?” Brandon had his hand on the doorknob, ready to comply. “No, it’s fine, just different.” Derek clasped his hand and pulled him close. “After a week apart, I don’t care two shits about my coat right now.” Grinning, Brandon pressed closer. “What do you care about?” “Getting rid of all your clothes.” Derek toyed with the buttons on Brandon’s shirt. “Sitting across from you while we ate dinner gave me a raging hard-on.” “Trust me, I know.” Brandon rubbed his bulge against Derek’s. “Nothing like a long, lingering meal to prime the pump, so to speak.” Derek didn’t mention how uncomfortable he’d felt when the bill came. Stunned by the amount, he sat staring at the tab for almost a full minute. Before he could do anything, Brandon slapped down a credit card without even looking at the bill. Derek felt confused about taking control of Brandon when he clearly was used to being in

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control. “Derek?” Brandon pulled his wallet from his jeans and placed it on the table by the door along with his keys. “Damn that distracting mouth of yours.” Cupping the back of his head, Derek threaded his fingers through his hair then tightened his grip, pulling Brandon’s head back. “Next time we shouldn’t wait a week to hook up.” Brandon’s pupils widened as his lids lowered. “You should punish me.” “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” “Oh, yes,” Brandon breathed. “With you in charge, I’m positive I’d enjoy myself very much.” Grinning, Derek held his head still as he worked his fingers down the front of his shirt, flicking the buttons apart. Sparse black hair was soft against his fingertips. A deep breath filled Derek with the compelling scent of Brandon’s expensive cologne. A spark of insecurity washed over Derek again. Was Brandon just slumming with him? “Derek? You keep disappearing on me.” “Maybe we should slow this down.” Derek released Brandon and turned away. “Oh—okay.” Brandon placed his hand against Derek’s back. The heat and moisture from his palm quickly bled through the thin fabric of Derek’s T-shirt, which somehow reminded him yet again that he was no match for Brandon. Not for anything long-term, at any rate. People always said opposites attract, but could they stay together? Once Brandon had his degree from Twin Pines, he’d move on to graduate school and then join his family’s business. Something to do with international finance. Hell, for all Derek knew, it could be intergalactic finance. Derek had no idea what to do when he finished his degree. All he’d ever done was party and surf. The only reason he’d gone to college was to please his parents while continuing to party and hook

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up. As a bonus, he still had his summers free to surf. In a year, he’d graduate, and then what the hell would he do? He was going nowhere fast when Brandon had his whole life mapped out. When Derek looked at Brandon’s map, he didn’t see any room for himself. “Hey, I’ve got satellite, and it’s Sunday. I’m sure we can catch a game.” Moving around the black leather couch, Brandon picked up the remote and flicked on a television that was roughly the size of Derek’s bunk. Bright color and blaring noise quickly filled the apartment. “Won’t your neighbors get pissed?” If Derek belched too loud, his neighbors in the dorm bitched. “The walls are soundproof.” “Oh.” Derek nodded. “So, you can torment me until I scream and no one will bother us.” “Right.” Derek nodded. “Okay, what the hell did I do?” Brandon pressed the mute button but left the game on. “Nothing. I think I should get back to my room. I think I’ve got a test in chemistry tomorrow.” He didn’t, but the excuse sounded good. “I thought you wanted to see those toys.” “Later.” Derek crossed the plush carpeting and opened the closet door. His battered letterman jacket looked pathetic hanging next to Brandon’s fine things. Was that what this was? Derek would be in charge in the bedroom while Brandon took care of everything else? Derek realized he’d be just like the sofa, the clothing, the massive television—all bought and paid for and easily replaced. “Look, I’m not going to beg, unless that’s what you need as my Boss, but if you’ve changed your mind, I wish to God you’d tell me. I don’t want to make a total ass out of myself.” Brandon paused for a long time, and Derek knew he should say something, but he didn’t know what to say, so he kept his mouth shut. “I knew I shouldn’t have told you all that stuff. We really don’t

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have to do that, I just wanted to try—shit. Just go.” When Derek looked back, Brandon was standing with his head down and his shoulders curled in, almost like he’d suffered a blow. Derek hadn’t realized Brandon would see his leaving as a rejection. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt him. “Are you just slumming with me?” Derek asked. Brandon’s head snapped up. “Am I slumming with you?” The look that crossed Brandon’s face mingled shock and repulsion in fairly equal measure. “I’ll never be able to match this.” Derek lifted his empty hands, indicating all the subtle showings of wealth around him. “I’ll never be able to slap down a credit card without looking at the bill.” “Is that what this is about?” Brandon lost that dejected stance. “My family’s money?” “Yes—no—I don’t know.” When what Derek was thinking was said out loud, it sounded ridiculous. “I just don’t think I’ll ever fit into your world.” And then Brandon did the last thing Derek ever would have expected. He smiled. And then he laughed. “What the hell are you so happy about?” “You.” Brandon moved across the floor and didn’t stop until he was right in front of Derek. “You’re laughing at me?” “Absolutely not.” Brandon leaned into him. “I’m ecstatic that you’re thinking ahead.” “What?” Brandon never did, said, or reacted the way Derek expected him to. “No man who’s looking for a quick fuck thinks about things like that.” Brandon kissed him with a slow, lingering smooch that melted away whatever drive was compelling Derek toward the door. “You can go if you want, but I really hope you’ll stay. And I swear, all of this is bought and paid for with my family’s money. I, personally”— Brandon thumped his chest—“don’t have two dimes to rub together.

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And as for fitting into my world”—Brandon palmed Derek’s cock— “you fit in just fine. Or you will once we get done prepping me for you.” Just the barest touch of his hand surged blood into Derek’s prick. And yet something perverse compelled him to say, “But I can’t compete with this.” “Who the hell made you think you had to? Me?” Brandon uttered a frustrated sigh and removed his exploring hand. “I’m sorry about the credit card at dinner, but I’m used to doing that, and with the look on your face, I thought you couldn’t afford it. I didn’t want you to be embarrassed.” “Shit.” Derek hadn’t thought Brandon was trying to protect him. “I couldn’t afford it, and I was embarrassed that you had to pay.” “I don’t mind.” “But I do.” Derek realized if he’d just shut up and deal with his damaged pride, he could have an evening of wicked hot sex, but he just couldn’t seem to stop himself. “I’ve never been a moocher, and I’m not going to start now.” “I never called you a freeloader, and I never would. And keep in mind I paid for one dinner.” Brandon held up one finger. Derek knew that intellectually, but this was part of a deeper problem that he didn’t know how to vocalize. He honestly wanted a future with Brandon, but saw no possible way for that to happen when they were from two completely different worlds. Somehow, he didn’t see himself fitting into Boston, not just that there was no surfing there, but high-society would reject him faster than big surf could flip his board. “Tell me this,” Brandon asked. “If you had money, you’d be okay paying my way?” “Sure.” Whenever Derek had money, he was always generous. “So it’s fine when you’re munificent, but not me.” Brandon paused. “Why is that?” “Because…just, I don’t know. I’m not okay with you having to

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pay for me.” Brandon nodded speculatively. “You want to be the man in this relationship.” “We’re both men.” “Yes, but you’re used to the role of alpha. Having it in the bedroom and nowhere else makes you think that I only want you to dominate me to—what? Soothe your fucking ego?” Derek knew it was asinine, which was why he hadn’t said it aloud. But Brandon, as perceptive as always, didn’t need him to spell it out. “I’m an ass.” “Yes, you are.” Derek glared at him. “But I still want you to be the boss of me.” Derek couldn’t help it. He laughed. “You scared the hell out of me.” Brandon picked up unbuttoning his shirt where Derek had left off. The movement of his fingers was hypnotizing. “I thought you were turned off by what I told you I wanted you to do to me.” “You told me before the kink fest on the bus, so if I was repulsed, I would have bailed on you before then.” “Good point.” Brandon had finished unbuttoning his shirt, but he didn’t take it off. It was sexier open but on. “I’ve got another good point.” Derek flicked his hips. “Is that so?” Brandon lifted one brow. “Is it in your trousers?” “Give that man a cigar.” “I don’t smoke, but I’m sure I can find something to suck on.” Brandon walked toward him with the stride of man with nothing but sex on his mind. Every nerve in Derek’s body started firing in anticipation of having Brandon’s lips wrapped around his cock. The closer he came, the more his senses ramped up. When Brandon was only a few inches away, Derek released a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. And then Brandon did something unexpected yet again. Brandon

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lifted Derek’s hand, extended his index finger, then drew Derek’s finger into his mouth. “Oh, shit.” Brandon grinned around the thrust of Derek’s finger before he started sliding his lips up and down the length while sucking gently. Derek felt every movement that Brandon’s lips, teeth, and tongue performed along his finger migrate down to his cock. Whatever thoughts he had about leaving left him in such a hurry they practically created a wind as they slammed the door. Nothing on this Earth could tear him away from Brandon now. As if he sensed that he had captured him completely, Brandon, still sucking on Derek’s finger, led him toward the other end of the apartment. Inside a darkened room, Brandon maneuvered Derek onto a bed that was so soft he thought he was reclining on a cloud. Clearly, family money had its privileges. Derek should really speak to his parents about them providing for him in a similar fashion. “My shoes, all my clothes are still on,” Derek protested when Brandon pushed him onto the bed. Without answering, and his finger still in his talented mouth, Brandon had Derek lay on the bed then he straddled his body, settling his butt on the upper part of Derek’s thighs. And then he did the most erotic thing anyone had ever done to him. Brandon sucked Derek’s finger while caressing him with both hands. Careful to keep his finger still for Brandon’s mouth, Derek struggled not to buck under his expert touch. The mix of his mouth movements echoing down to his prick, and then the sensation of his hands smoothing over his chest, was so unique Derek was lost in bliss. When Brandon moved up, centering his perfect ass against Derek’s cock, Derek growled low and fought the urge to grab him, flip him on his back, rip off his clothes, and fuck him until they both screamed then creamed.

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As if determined to repeatedly surprise him, Brandon lifted up and started rocking his hips, dancing his bottom over Derek’s prick. “Oh. My. God.” Derek wanted to move against him but was afraid if he did, Brandon would stop. “Is this payback for making you hold still on the bus?” Brandon nodded, keeping Derek’s finger firmly in his mouth. “You naughty boy.” When Brandon bit down on his finger, Derek knew that was a name he was happy to live up to. “Are you going to tease me all night?” As if in answer, Brandon swiveled his hips, rolling Derek’s cock against the rough fabric of his jeans. “You know I’m going to get you back, right?” Brandon nodded. “You were counting on that, weren’t you?” Nodding again, Brandon pushed up Derek’s clinging T-shirt, spanning his fingers over the muscles of his chest. Slowly, inexorably, his palms moved up until they brushed against Derek’s nipples. Once he found the taut peaks in the dark, Brandon teased them with a firm grip of his forefinger and thumb. “Oh, yeah. Harder.” Rather than obey, Brandon deliberately did the opposite and teased his fingertips softly over Derek’s nipples. “How dare you disobey me. When I’ve got you in my evil clutches, I’m going to tease you until—” Brandon waited until Derek was mid rant then twisted his nipples good and hard. Derek yelped. “Fuck!” Alternately twisting and gently teasing his nipples, Brandon continued to rub up on Derek’s cock while sucking on his finger. “You’re making me crazy, pretty boy.” Lowering his voice, Derek added, “You won’t like me when I’m crazy.” All of Brandon’s continued torment indicated otherwise. Derek

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swore he would stop at nothing to drive Brandon to the edge of madness, but he realized he would have to survive this first. Derek insisted he would tease Brandon’s ass for weeks before inserting so much as a finger, but none of his threats inspired Brandon to speed up. In fact, all his bitching and moaning had accomplished was to slow Brandon down. Damn it, Derek thought to himself. The solution was staring Derek in the face the entire time. “Please, baby. I want to come against your sweet ass.” Bitching slowed Brandon down, so maybe some sweet talk would speed him up. Grinning against his thrusting finger, Brandon popped the button on the waistband of Derek’s jeans then pulled the zipper down. And then he was gone. “Shit! Brandon?” Derek sat up in the bed, but a hand to his shoulder pushed him back. And then that same hand was tugging Derek’s pants down and off. Without waiting to be asked, Derek wrenched his shirt over his head and tossed it aside while toeing off his socks. Breathlessly, so primed for contact he was almost shaking, Derek waited. After what seemed like forever but was only a matter of moments, Brandon again straddled his hips. And he was totally bare-ass naked. Derek knew because Brandon’s tight, hot butt was pressed against Derek’s upper thighs. “Oh, yeah, that’s my sexy baby.” Obviously, it was the sweet talk that got Brandon to relent in his teasing, so Derek was prepared to lay it on as thick as he had to. Derek lifted his hands to grasp Brandon’s hips, but Brandon slapped them away. “It’s like that, is it? I can’t touch you?” Rather than answer, Brandon grabbed Derek’s hands and pushed them up. “You want me to put my hands up?” Brandon didn’t speak, but Derek thought that was exactly what Brandon wanted—surrender.

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“Okay, you’ve got it. I’m putting my hands up over my head.” Brandon felt along his arms to ensure they were up. Once he confirmed they were, he leaned forward until their cocks rubbed together. Bare and hard, their twin cylinders of flesh smoothed against one another. Nothing had ever felt so good. Derek was pleased to note that Brandon was just as hard as he was. As they rubbed together, their pre-cum smeared along their shafts, slicking the way, which drove Derek totally out of his mind. He wanted to fuck Brandon so badly he had to put his hands behind his head to keep from doing exactly what he’d envisioned earlier. When Brandon cupped his hands around their cocks, stroking them together like one giant prick, Derek almost screamed. Never, not once, had he gotten a hand job quite like this. The feel of Brandon’s two crushing fists, his rock hard cock, their slippery pre-cum—all of it combined to push Derek right to the edge. Where Brandon let him totter. When Brandon flicked his thumb over the very tips of their pricks, both of them erupted in a simultaneous orgasm that caused Derek to buck so hard he almost thrust Brandon off. Brandon rode him like a rodeo cowboy, which compelled from Derek an animalistic growl that damn near shook the building. Panting in the afterglow, Brandon leaned over Derek and kissed him passionately. And then he spoke for the first time since they’d entered the bedroom. Lifting his head just enough to move their lips apart, Brandon whispered, “I didn’t want you to think you were always going to be in charge in the bedroom.”

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Chapter 6 As much as Brandon understood Derek’s concerns, he wanted to berate him for his insufferable pride. It wasn’t Brandon’s money, but his family’s money, and access to the Sanders’s funds came with strings attached. When his father found out what Brandon had been doing, that money was going to dry up and disappear. All of this luxury came at a price, a steep price, one that Brandon had decided he couldn’t pay any longer. Living up to the legacy laid down by his great-great-grandfather was impossible. Once Brandon released himself from that obligation, his whole life started to fall into place. At first, Brandon had worried that Derek wasn’t interested in anything long-term, and he’d been worried how to voice his longings to stay together. Turned out Derek had the same feelings he did. For a brief moment, Brandon had worried that things were going too fast between them, but just what pace was attraction supposed to take? Did slower mean it was more profound? Somehow, Brandon doubted that. Sometimes the best things in his life hit him with all the fury of a blizzard. Now, though, Brandon wondered what Derek would think when Brandon became a pauper. Worse, Brandon didn’t really know how to live on his own, but he was bound and determined to figure it out. Since they had classes early tomorrow, and Brandon wanted to wake up to another round of creative sex, he’d compelled Derek to shower with him. Soaping up and rinsing off had never been so much fun. “Anytime you feel the need to put me in my place, you totally should.” Derek stood behind Brandon while he was leaning over the

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sink, shaving. “I just wanted you to be clear that you don’t always have to be the boss.” Moreover, Brandon didn’t want to get lost in the power that Derek exuded. It would be so easy to lean on the bigger, stronger man and let him take the lead in all things, but that wouldn’t be fair to either of them. “Damn, look at us. We are one fuckalicious couple.” Brandon considered their reflection. His dark hair and pale skin was a beautiful contrast to Derek’s platinum-blond and bronzed perfection. Clearly, Derek spent the summer surfing while Brandon had been working toward his secret goal. No wonder he was so pale. He needed to get outdoors more. Sadly, his paleness wasn’t likely to improve during the winter in the Rockies. “You just have the most incredible skin.” Derek kissed his way from Brandon’s neck to his shoulder. “I was just thinking I was paler than a vampire.” “No, it’s perfect.” Derek nip-kissed him. “Sexy. And soft.” Derek paused. “Hey, what’s this scar from?” Derek traced his fingers tenderly over the mark on the back of Brandon’s neck. Not a soul had ever noticed the rough S mark because his hair covered it. “It’s from when I was a child.” Brandon had no desire to tell Derek how he’d obtained the scar. Derek kissed the spot. “You’re sweet,” Brandon said. “I am.” Derek grinned. “And oh—my—God that cologne drives me crazy!” Brandon realized just how crazy when Derek’s erection nestled into his lower back. “Are you always this insatiable?” “It’s not my fault.” Derek pressed his cock into the cleft of Brandon’s bottom. “It’s totally you and your sweet ass.” Moving up and down, Derek rubbed his shaft along the full length. “You know, I could bend you over right here and have my wicked way with you.” When their gazes met in the mirror and held, a most curious

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sensation slammed into Brandon. The feeling hit him with such force he wavered on his feet. If not for Derek’s strong arms coming around him, he would have fallen to the floor. “Whoa, dude, I was kidding.” Derek held him a little tighter. “You okay?” Stunned by what had just happened, Brandon nodded. “I think I’m just tired.” Or maybe it was remembering how he’d gotten the scar combined with what his ultimate goal with Derek was. Brandon didn’t know how to explain to Derek that he was afraid. And not of the pain, but of something much more frightening. “Let’s get you to bed.” Whatever desire Derek had felt was replaced with concern. “I’m okay, really.” Brandon felt a little foolish when Derek scooped him up into his arms. “I’ll tell you right now I can be a bit of a caveman. When I am, you should probably indulge me.” Realizing resistance was futile, Brandon gave in and let Derek carry him to bed. Derek tucked him under the covers and then joined him. In short order, he and Derek were spooned against one another with their legs tangled together. As Brandon drifted off to sleep, he pondered the curious emotion that had swamped him. Almost like a sudden drop in blood pressure, his head went dizzy and his body lost every scrap of strength. The feeling of fear almost floored him. Before he and Derek went any farther, Brandon should tell him the truth. But he was so afraid that if he did, Derek would walk. And watching him walk away would be devastating. **** Morning came with a light snowstorm and a summons to the gymnasium, dashing Brandon’s hopes for a relaxed wakeup in bed. By the same token, he was able to delay his confession to Derek, so

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he wasn’t all that upset. Coach Miller had thrown Danny Jones off the football team for an honor code violation. The entire football team had rallied around Danny, promising that if Danny was gone, so were the rest of them. As the quarterback and team captain, Brandon was elected to speak, and he was proud to do so. All the guys on the team were waiting in the gym when Danny, Matthew, and Dylan entered. Without any prompting, the Grizzlies surrounded Danny, who looked almost on the verge of grateful tears. “You always look after us, and now it’s our privilege to look after you.” Gently, Brandon clapped his hand to Danny’s back. Coach stood glaring at the group of them, his features a mix of exasperation and incredulity. “I’ve made my decision. He’s off the team.” Coach Miller met their obstinance with his own immovable stance. Brandon stepped forward. “If he goes, we all go.” Confusion wrinkled up the coach’s face. “You’ll walk over him?” He pointed one of his meaty fingers at Danny. “He’s a member of this team.” Brandon crossed his arms and every guy around him did the same. “He’s the goddamn waterboy!” “He’s our friend and our teammate.” “I’ll replace all of you.” “Every guy on the team? Good luck with that.” “You’ll lose your scholarship,” Coach threatened Matthew, Danny’s boyfriend. “No, I won’t, and neither will anyone else,” Matthew said. “We’re here on academic scholarships, not athletic ones. You can kick us off the team, but you can’t kick us out of school.” Eventually, realizing he wouldn’t have a job if he didn’t have a team, Coach reluctantly reinstated Danny. Clearly unhappy about the situation, he crammed his clipboard into his sweaty pit and stomped out of the gymnasium.

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They had the good grace to wait until the coach was gone, and the door behind him firmly closed, before they erupted into cheers. They swept Danny up into big strong hugs that told him in no uncertain terms he was beloved by his teammates. As Brandon went to his first class, he considered the fierce attachment they all had to Danny when they had only met him in August for early training. He’d been so fragile in so many ways that Danny had brought out protective instincts in every guy on the team. Now that he’d hooked up with Matthew, Danny had emerged from his shell in a big way. Under all that shaggy hair and baggy clothing, Danny was remarkably hot. And, by the possessive way Matthew wrapped his arm around him, totally taken. Brandon was sure the curious event in the back of the equipment truck had something to do with all this, but he didn’t have time to ask. Moreover, every time he thought about that moment, his mind went all fuzzy. Flicking his chin at Derek by way of saying good-bye, Brandon hurried to his morning class. He listened with half an ear and spent more time doodling than taking notes. Lost in his thoughts, Brandon realized the bell had rung quite some time ago. The rest of his day passed in a similar blur. All he could think of was Derek, the box of toys, and their agreement to meet at Brandon’s apartment after classes. The closer that time came, the more fidgety he became. Excitement and apprehension hit him in alternating waves. All the times he’d considered those toys, running his trembling fingers over the cool, smooth rubber, convinced he’d never find anyone to use them with—all that changed. Now the frustration was replaced with the anticipation of acting all of those dreams out. With hunky Derek Simmons of all people. But then that lingering fear rose up, telling Brandon if he did this, he could never go back. But maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it was time to push through that fear and give in to passions he’d always kept so tightly controlled. When Brandon’s last class ended, he couldn’t get home fast enough. His hand shook so badly he had trouble getting the key into

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the lock. As he was fumbling with the door, he realized the knob turned freely. “Derek?” Brandon called as he pushed the door open. He hadn’t given him a key, but maybe he’d wanted to surprise him and took the spare one from the kitchen. “No, Alexander.” If it were humanly possible, Brandon’s jaw would have dropped right off his face. Alexander Sanders, patriarch of the entire Sanders clan, rose from the living room couch like Neptune from the deep. Perfectly styled steel-gray hair matched his eyes while his rich black suit was set off with a bright red tie. As always, Brandon’s father was impeccably dressed. Raw terror destroyed Brandon’s anticipatory arousal. Fear shriveled his semi-hard cock and curled his shoulders in as he tried to present the smallest possible target. In a flash of insight, Brandon thought he probably looked a lot like Danny Jones had when he’d first come to Twin Pines—all curled in and terrified. Maybe he felt for Danny because Brandon knew exactly what it was like to expect blows to rain down at any moment. Brandon’s father had never come to visit him. The only time Brandon saw his father was at their home in Boston, usually in his father’s office. While Alexander sat behind his enormous desk, Brandon stood on the other side in the down-beaten posture he held now. His father only called Brandon before him when he was angry about something. That Alexander had come to him, rather than call Brandon home, conveyed more clearly than words ever could that his father was livid. And unfortunately, Brandon knew exactly what had sparked his father’s rage. Not that Brandon was justifying Alexander’s reaction, just that his father’s rancor wasn’t that surprising given the circumstances. Five years was a long time to keep such a big secret. “I am trying to decide if I should discipline or applaud your audacity.” Alexander palmed his brandy, swirling the amber liquid

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within the bulbous glass. “On the one hand, you have clearly set your own path through life, which is decidedly manly, but on the other hand, you have directly defied me.” Alexander considered his drink for a long moment. “Or perhaps I should bestow a toast upon you with fine brandy paid for with my money.” Great-great-grandfather’s money, actually. Brandon thought the words, and as much as he wanted to fling them in his father’s face, he didn’t. Aggravating the situation would only make the reparations more costly. Even though there was the massive leather couch between them, Brandon didn’t feel safe. Using his peripheral vision, Brandon calculated which distance was shorter—the run to the front door or the run to his bedroom. Both were about equidistant from where he was standing. “I thought after our discussion about your bedroom practices you would be more circumspect with your perversities.” Brandon’s heart skipped a beat. His father wasn’t here for the reason he suspected. He was here for the reason Brandon feared going all the way with Derek. His father had warned him to keep his male lovers well in the shadows. Alexander said he understood the compulsion, but only a strong, capable woman should be seen on Brandon’s arm in public. No dimwits, no gold diggers, and no woman darker than Mother’s ecru handbag. Other than that, Brandon should drink his fill of lovers until the perfect companion was found. Once he was married, Brandon would remain so, and faithfully, of course. Youth was to sow those wild oats and exorcise his lustful demons. “My understanding was that you would, in no way, come out as they say in the common vernacular. A dalliance here or there does not a homosexual make.” It was as if his father had found out what Brandon and Derek had planned for tonight and he had come here to stop Brandon from taking the final step. Brandon’s tongue froze to the roof of his mouth. He wanted to tell his father to go do the anatomically impossible to himself. Or perhaps

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give him the finger and say, “Later, dude!” with all of Derek’s surfer boy panache, but instead, Brandon stood there feeling like he was fourteen all over again. Caught by the maid with another boy’s mouth around his cock, Brandon had stood in his father’s office for ten hours waiting for his reprimand. Once his father arrived, he’d settled behind his desk and laid down the law. In cold terms, his father had explained how some boys were pleased to offer such services, and if adequate privacy could be assured, Brandon should take advantage of his homosexual peers. “But under no circumstances should you exchange such services.” The senior Sanders appraised Brandon with frosty eyes that iced his teenaged soul. “Your contemporaries may perform fellatio on you, and if you use proper precautions, you may penetrate them, but never the other way around. Do you understand?” Brandon had nodded. He understood exactly what his father was saying. It was manly to get serviced by a man, and to use men to assuage his lusts, but never should Brandon reciprocate. Never should he care about a man. Never should he fall in love with one, or want to be with one for any reason other than sex, because if he did, he wasn’t really a man. His father had given Brandon a veritable mountain of condoms that day and ensured he always had an adequate supply. Even here at college his father made sure Brandon had them and insisted he use them religiously. His father had encouraged him to seek out climax as often as he could, provided he followed the two prime rules of always protecting himself from disease and never allowing himself to get caught. “An alpha male needs release. As a Sanders, you’re entitled, but you will be circumspect.” The boy who’d been sucking him off was banished from their home, but Alexander encouraged Brandon to see what else he could talk the boy into. “Somewhere private, of course. See if you can be the first to penetrate him. The snug heat will astound you.” A malevolent grin crossed his father’s face, chilling Brandon to the bone. His father had talked about Brandon’s

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companion as if he had no feelings whatsoever. It was Brandon’s first introduction to his father’s view of everyone as an object. Brandon had been too horrified to even look the boy in the face again and gave a sigh of relief when he moved. He didn’t want to go through his life using everyone he encountered for his own needs. Under no circumstances did Brandon aspire to be like his father. “I was under the assumption, erroneous I realize now, that you were using the condoms with your male and female lovers. Foolishly I believed that you were using your male lovers when your female lovers were unavailable. Imagine my surprise to find there are no female lovers and likely never have been.” Alexander shook his head. “Imagine my horror when I found out from that insufferable gossip Harriet Henley that you were at an all-male college in Colorado.” Brandon had hoped his father wouldn’t find out. How Harriet had discovered the information was immaterial. Now that she knew, everyone on the Eastern Seaboard would know. His father’s reason for visiting clarified. This wasn’t about what Brandon had been studying, but about who he’d been sharing his bed with. Brandon felt no relief. Dealing with his father’s homophobia was going to be much more difficult than explaining what Brandon had been actually doing in college all these years. “I want you to gather your things. I’ll send the car for you tomorrow morning promptly at eight.” “What?” If Brandon left now, everything he’d strived to achieve in the last four years would be lost. Worse, he’d lose Derek, and likely cripple forever his willingness to move past his fear. To salvage his plans, he had to find a way to placate his father. “But the semester just started—” “I don’t care if your period just started.” Alexander’s harsh voice grated against Brandon’s ears. “You’ll gather what you need for the trip back to Boston and be ready by eight.” Given that his father refused to fly, it would be one hell of a long drive from Twin Pines, Colorado to Boston, Massachusetts. Long and

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terrifying and potentially physically harmful. Alexander often reinforced his instructions with blows. The scar that Derek had tenderly kissed as they gazed in the mirror last night was put there by his father the second time Brandon had been caught with another male. To find his son with another man had been bad enough, but to see Brandon on his knees with another man’s cock in his mouth had pushed Alexander beyond endurance. Ducking from the blow turned Brandon’s head, causing his father’s fist, and the S ring he wore, to land on the back of his head, just above the hairline. The blow had knocked Brandon senseless. The verbal thrashing had left Brandon’s head ringing for months, and his father’s message was clear—only a homosexual took it up the ass. And from that day, Brandon had believed that if he never let another man penetrate him, he wasn’t really gay. He could claim, as his father insisted, that it was just about a need to find release. Nothing was wrong with him if he kept his encounters with other males in such a light. However, when his feelings for Derek deepened, and he’d flirted with the idea of having to submit against his will, it gave Brandon a possible emotional escape hatch. He wasn’t really gay if he let Derek penetrate him over a bet. And just as quickly as he thought that, here and now, Brandon rejected his father’s ridiculous idea. Brandon was now ready to move past his long-seated fear. “No.” Brandon had no idea where his sudden rebellion came from, but as soon as he openly defied his father, he felt stronger. He didn’t want Derek just because he could end this emotional and psychological anguish. Brandon wanted Derek because he cared about him. It wasn’t just lust, it was—oh my God. Brandon realized rather suddenly that he was in love with Derek. “No?” Alexander’s tone was lightly amused. He set the bulbous glass on the low coffee table. “I’m not going with you.” Brandon braced himself for the ensuing

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argument. That creepy malevolent smile that had so terrified him as a teenager returned to torment him as an adult. Brandon wanted to back away from his advancing father, but he couldn’t move. “Brandon?” Derek called from open doorway. Alexander and Brandon stared at each other as Derek’s footsteps approached. When Derek stepped into the living room, his father’s gaze swung Derek’s direction. Brandon couldn’t swear to it, but it seemed to him his father’s eyes widened when he’d first seen Derek. Widened in fear or surprise and then narrowed with his trademark cold speculation. His father was sizing Derek up with shrewd and heartless intent. All the fear Brandon had for himself was now projected onto Derek. “Oh, hey, I didn’t know you had company.” Derek turned as if to extend his hand in greeting to Alexander, but something stopped him short. Derek’s relaxed and casual posture tightened, and his open hand curled to a fist. Without taking his eyes off Alexander, Derek asked, “Is everything okay, Brandon?” “My father was just leaving.” Derek nodded. “Door’s open.” For a moment, Brandon thought his father would launch himself at Derek, but clearly, he realized Derek was six and half feet of thoroughly conditioned athlete. Surfing and football gave him a body that no workout could mimic. Moreover, Derek didn’t have a lifetime of abuse that cowered him in his shoes. Derek stood up to the elder Sanders with the silent strength of a true warrior. Derek spoke volumes without saying a word. “Tomorrow morning at eight.” Alexander retrieved his coat from the closet and slipped his arms in the sleeves. “Don’t make me wait.”

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Chapter 7 As soon as the door closed behind his father, Brandon clenched his eyes shut and started shaking. Derek suspected a dark relationship between them, but nothing this bad. Refusing to pry, Derek wrapped his arm around Brandon’s shoulders and led him to the couch. They sat together with Brandon’s head nestled on his shoulder. Still trembling, Brandon buried his face against Derek’s chest and cried. For a long time Derek held him. Once the tears dried up a bit, he squeezed Brandon and said, “Your dad’s a real crack cactus, isn’t he?” A somewhat stunned laugh erupted. “I don’t know what that means,” Brandon mumbled against him. “No matter how careful you are while you’re surfing, you always accumulate sand in your crack. You can reach your hand back there, part your cheeks, and try to make it fall out, but it never does. It’s like the sand motel—once it gets in, it doesn’t get out. Sand builds up until it’s like you’ve got a cactus wedged in your crack. Hence the term crack cactus.” Brandon laughed. “I would have loved to call him that to his face.” “Hey, he couldn’t have gotten that far. Want me to hunt him down?” Derek warmed to the idea. “I could hold his arms behind his back while you tell him exactly what you think of him.” “God, no.” Brandon hugged Derek hard. “I don’t want his toxic homophobic slime to get on your beautiful body.” “Ew, me either.” Derek kissed the top of Brandon’s head. “So,

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what’s going down tomorrow morning at eight?” Inadvertently, his grip tightened. Derek had a terrible premonition that what he thought was a fast and furious beginning to a long and loving relationship was actually the relationship in total. Maybe that was why everything happened so quickly and effortlessly—the universe knew they would have limited time together, so they hadn’t wasted a moment. “A very lengthy and terrifying automobile ride to Boston.” The thought of watching Brandon walk away was inconceivable. “Got an extra ticket to this ride?” After a long pause, Brandon whispered, “There’s no way in hell I would ever subject you to that trip.” “Fine. Then you can’t go either.” After drawing a deep breath, Brandon said, “I’m not going.” “Good.” Derek relaxed but only for a moment. “Brandon? Why am I sensing a big but coming here?” “I’m afraid he won’t go without me.” Brandon straightened up, wiping his face. In all his life, Derek had never seen a more tormented human being. “It’s not like he can drug you and toss you in the trunk.” “Maybe not drug me.” Brandon’s gaze dropped to the floor. “Are you fucking kidding me? Your father would literally kidnap you to make you obey him?” One look at his father’s posture, his affect, and the oozing sense of entitlement had told Derek he was dealing with a megalomaniacal freak of epic proportions, but he didn’t think Brandon’s father would hurt him. “The scar.” Automatically, Brandon’s hand reached up to the back of his head. “He punched you while wearing that ugly ring with the big ass S on it.” “He did.” Rubbing at the old injury, Brandon kept his gaze on the floor. “And what great sin had you committed?” “I was sucking another man’s cock.”

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“Cut or intact?” “Intact.” Brandon realized he popped off the answer without having to even think. “Filthy pervert!” Grinning proudly, Derek thumped his chest. “That’s me.” After a moment’s pause, Brandon said, “After the blow, when I came to, he was at my bedside, polishing that ring. Coldly, my father informed me that the good Sanders name would never be smeared by homosexuality. In the most violent terms he told me that his house would never be disgraced with such sickness. All the while his face was utterly blank while he focused on that ring. I realized he was polishing it almost like that ring was a gun. When he looked up, he said he would rather kill me than have his house dishonored by my perversion.” Everything stood still. Very slowly, not quite believing what he was saying, Derek asked, “Your father threatened to kill you for being gay?” Miserable, humiliated, and clearly afraid, Brandon nodded. “I’ve got to figure something out by eight tomorrow morning because I have no idea what will happen to me if I get in that car.” Derek’s initial urge was to rise and run, but that would be foolish. They needed calm, cool, and collected thinking. Sadly, those were three things he wasn’t known for. Derek was impulsive, but the wrong move could get Brandon killed. He didn’t have to ask Brandon if he believed his father would carry out his threat since Brandon’s fear came through crystal clear. Maybe he wouldn’t kill Brandon, but a gay-to-straight camp could utterly destroy the man beside him. “Tonight we’ll stay here. Not all night, but your father is one crafty motherfucker, and I’ll bet he’s having this place watched.” Brandon stiffened beside him. “Hey, relax. I’m here, and that man isn’t getting anywhere near you.” “I should be able to protect myself.” Brandon pushed himself away from Derek.

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“Right. So, this is like my money issue in reverse?” Brandon made a face. “Hey, I’m just saying that you’re pissy because I want to physically protect you and you don’t like that idea.” Derek shrugged. “We all have our issues.” Brandon agreed, and then he frowned. “What?” Derek asked, pulling him close again. “My father wouldn’t be watching my apartment. It’s beneath him. He wouldn’t have anyone else do so either because he wouldn’t want anyone to catch wind there was a problem. My father is expecting me to obey because I always have.” “Then we have until eight.” Derek stood, taking Brandon up with him. “First things first, we’re going to get something to eat.” “I’m not hungry.” “I know, but you’ll need your strength. I’ve got plans for that sweet ass of yours.” Brandon gave him a look of sheer incredulity. “You’re thinking of fooling around?” “Of course I am. If there was a pie chart of my thought processes, about ninety-eight percent would be labeled sex thoughts about Brandon.” “And the other two percent?” “Everything else.” A reluctant smile tugged at Brandon’s lips. “Come on, Brandon. Let’s go get a pizza, have some brewskies, and then I will perform wonders upon your delectable form.” Derek also thought this would give him time to puzzle out where he would take Brandon because going back to his dorm room was out. He could stash him there for a night or two but nothing long-term, and he was certainly looking at long-term. “I like the way you think,” Brandon said. After rinsing his face and changing his shirt, Brandon was ready. “Here, wear my jacket.” Derek helped Brandon slip on his coat.

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“And you’ll wear what?” “Yours.” “Why?” “Because I want to have your smell on me. I like it.” “Why don’t you just put on some of my cologne?” “It wouldn’t be the same.” Derek took Brandon’s leather and wool coat from the closet then took a deep sniff of the collar. “It’s the smell of you wearing that scent that makes me crazy.” As they settled in Brandon’s car, Derek added, “I also like you in my jacket because it sends a clear message that you’re mine.” “Possessive, are you?” “Extremely.” Brandon hesitated, his hands on the wheel. “I have to tell you something.” “Okay.” “I’ve never been penetrated because…” Brandon trailed off, unable to finish. “Because your dad said only faggots take it up the ass.” Brandon’s eyes went wide. “I’m familiar with his type.” Derek closed the distance between them. “You don’t have to do this. We don’t—” “I want to. Not because of him. I want to because of you.” Pleased, Derek kissed him slow and sweet. “Good. Now, let’s get some grub.” For a Monday night, the pizza place was packed. They said hello to half a dozen guys before snagging a small corner table. They split a loaded pizza and pitcher of beer then left Brandon’s car in the parking lot and walked back to his apartment. “He’ll find the car. It has GPS.” “Yes, but he’ll have to look for it, and that will give us time.” Derek didn’t have much of a plan, but delaying Brandon’s father seemed like a good start. “And doing anything to annoy that uptight crack cactus sounds like a blast to me.”

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Brandon laughed. When they returned to Brandon’s apartment, Derek removed their jackets and tossed them over the couch. “See, that’s how you’re supposed to do it.” And then he stripped Brandon and pulled him into the shower. “I want you all nice and clean before I get you all dirty.” “Just what are you going to do to me?” “It’s a surprise.” Derek washed him from stem to stern, spending a lot of time on his beautiful ass. Once he had him squeaky clean, he took him from the shower, dried him, then covered him with lotion. “You’re just dragging this out.” Brandon stood still for Derek’s ministrations just the same. “Possibly. Or maybe I’m protecting that beautiful skin of yours.” Derek pressed Brandon against the counter so he was standing as he had been last night. “Look into the mirror.” “What am I looking for?” Derek kissed his scar, then his shoulder, then lowered himself down while kissing along his back. He kissed each buttock in turn then cupped them into his hands. Brandon’s pale skin was even paler against Derek’s darker hands, making his ass seem almost fragile. Parting his cheeks exposed his pink, puckered hole. Breathing out a hot, moist breath caused Brandon to twitch. “Derek, what—” Burying his tongue deep into that sweet flesh silenced Brandon on a gasp of breath. His fingers dug into the countertop. Derek eased Brandon’s legs apart and had him lean over so that his ass was lifted just slightly. He then proceeded to tongue fuck him until Brandon was whimpering. “You like that, baby?” “God yes.” “How about something a little bigger?” After slicking his finger, Derek eased the digit inside, keeping careful attention on the tone of Brandon’s moans. “Ah, yeah, there we go. Reach back and spread

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your cheeks for me.” Using the counter edge to hold his body steady, Brandon reached back and opened himself for Derek. “So perfect, so sexy, and so tight.” Derek eased another finger inside, careful not to go too fast. “Wait, wait.” Brandon pulled away, yanking Derek’s fingers out. “We don’t have to do this tonight. I just thought—” “Stay there.” Brandon disappeared then reappeared with a handful of goodies which he placed on the floor beside Derek. “I want to do this. I need to do this.” Dropping down to his knees, facing Derek on the floor of the bathroom, Brandon cupped his face and kissed him. “I want to feel you inside me. I want to watch you and have you see me.” “That’s why I picked the room with the big mirror. I also like the kinda dirty feel of a bathroom. Not that yours is. Hell, it’s so clean we could eat off this floor.” “Are you sure about this? You seem nervous.” “I don’t want to hurt you,” Derek said. “And I’m worried that we’re rushing this because of what happened with your father.” “You’re not going to hurt me, and you can’t rush me when this was my idea.” Brandon held his gaze. “And he has nothing to do with this at all.” “But your idea was a long, drawn-out training with all these toys.” Derek considered the few Brandon had brought in. “I know, but that’s not as important as bonding with you.” Brandon looked away then back. “I don’t know quite how to say this, but I want you to breed me.” “Fuck. Really?” Derek was flattered. And a little afraid. “I’ve been around, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve never done that.” Being his first, going bareback, and coming inside him was a huge commitment in Derek’s mind. “I want to. God, yeah I want to, but do you realize what you’re asking here?” “For you to make a commitment.”

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“Yeah.” “That’s what I want.” “Then that’s what you’re gonna get.” Derek grinned. “Assume the position.” In a flash, Brandon was on his feet leaning over the counter with his perfect ass tilted up slightly. From the pile of items by his knees, Derek selected a small plug and a bottle of lube. He stood, making sure that Brandon could see what he was doing by looking in the mirror. When Derek met his gaze, he expected to see a little bit of fear in his eyes, but there was none. Brandon’s pupils were dilated, his breathing was deep and slow, and his posture was relaxed. “You want this so bad,” Derek said. “Yes.” “Spread those cheeks for me, nice and wide.” Bracing himself, Brandon reached back, exposing his tight, pink hole. Derek slid the small toy up and down, watching how his actions built Brandon’s anticipation before he pressed the bulbous head against his pucker. Observing Brandon’s face in the mirror, Derek watched as his eyes rolled back and his lips parted. Brandon exhaled a low throaty moan as Derek twirled the toy against his ass. As he pressed, pushing the plug incrementally within, Brandon’s eyes fluttered and his fingers dug into his own buttocks. “You like that, pretty boy?” “Yes. Boss.” Derek noticed the delay in his speaking, and when he looked to the countertop, he realized Brandon was already leaking pre-cum. “Oh, my sweet little virgin is about to blow his load, isn’t he?” “Yes, Boss. I’m sorry.” “Don’t be. I’ve got a surprise for you.” Derek eased the toy in right down to the base. “Good and snug. I like this base because this thing isn’t going anywhere.” Before Brandon knew what he was up

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to, Derek turned him around, greased up his cock, then bent over the counter. “Fuck me, Brandon. You’re close, and I want to feel you come inside me. I want you to be my first.” Clearly stunned, Brandon reached for him. “You’ve never done this either?” “No.” Turning so that their gazes met and held, Derek said, “I got told the same garbage you did. So tonight, we’re both moving past that. Together.”

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Chapter 8 With the small butt plug lodged firmly in his ass, Brandon eased his straining cock between Derek’s cheeks. The twin globes of muscle were almost glowing white compared to the rest of his sun-kissed body, which made his buttocks seem bigger and sexier somehow. “Ah, yeah.” Derek braced himself against the cabinet so he could part his cheeks for Brandon. “I won’t last.” Just pressing the tip of his lubed up prick against Derek’s pucker tightened his balls. “That’s okay. I just want to feel you blow your load up my ass.” Derek met his gaze in the mirror. “My virgin ass.” “I can’t believe you’ve never done this either.” Brandon couldn’t have been more surprised. And if he were honest, he was proud that they had waited for each other. Their reasons might have been screwed up, but the fact they could unburden together was somehow fitting. A satisfied grin lifted one side of Derek’s perfect mouth. “This is the last time we’re gonna be together as butt virgins. After this we’ll be bareback butt buddies.” Brandon laughed, then sobered. That Derek was giving him his own virgin ass in exchange thrilled Brandon deeply. In his own kinky way, Derek was confirming that Brandon’s commitment was as solid as his. And it was. With his hands helping to angle his cock, Brandon split his attention between Derek’s exposed ass and the reflection of his face in the mirror. As he rubbed his prick up and down Derek’s cleft, he felt too much tightness around his starburst.

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“A nervous virgin,” Brandon trilled. “How quaint.” “Are you laughing at me, pretty boy?” “No, Boss. I wouldn’t dare.” Brandon gave him a very submissive glance. “Put your hands on the counter.” When Derek did, his cheeks came together, but his sphincter relaxed. “So much better.” Soothing his hand along his back, Brandon pressed forward the barest bit. As soon as he met resistance, he relented and darted his attention to Derek’s face. “You okay?” Brandon asked. “Yeah.” Derek took a deep breath. “And obviously you’ve been with virgins before.” “I have.” To his own ears, Brandon sounded like he was bragging. “None as sexy as you, though. And never without a condom.” Barebacking was turning Brandon on as much as Derek’s virginity was. Watching his naked cock rubbing up on another man was hotter than hell. That it was Derek simply magnified the intensity. “And never one as tight as you.” Derek laughed, which tightened him, but when he stopped, Brandon entered a little bit deeper before he retreated. “You see”—Brandon eased his hands to Derek’s hips—“it’s a war of attrition. I advance and procure a little depth. You react and force my retreat. But again I advance and procure another incremental amount before I’m pushed back once again.” “I can’t believe that you are comparing taking my virginity to a military strategy. Worse, I can’t believe that it’s totally turning me on.” Derek relaxed against the counter, pressing his upper chest against the mirror. “Conquer my ass, pretty boy.” “Here I am trying to be all serious, and you’re making me laugh.” “If you can’t have fun while fucking, when can you?” “God, I really do love you.” Derek’s brows rose high over startled blue eyes. “And I can’t believe I just said that.” And yet Brandon had no urge to take the words back.

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“Did you mean it?” “Yes.” “Then I’m glad you said it.” Derek grinned. “Now, about this ass fucking you’re giving me.” He arched his back, which opened the angle of his passage. “I’d like to surrender completely. No more war of attrition.” His sphincter relaxed, and Brandon slowly but firmly eased his cock deep into Derek. For a moment he held still, memorizing everything in this moment, and then Brandon rocked back. Moaning, lifting up on his arms, pushing himself away from the mirror and hanging onto the cabinet edge, Derek growled, “Fill me up.” Brandon thrust forward, but only about halfway, then yanked back. He did this several times in quick succession, which moved the toy inside his ass. “You riding that toy while you’re fucking me, pretty boy?” Derek opened one eye to peer at Brandon through the reflection in the mirror. “Tell me how good it feels to be balls deep in me with that up your snug little ass.” “Why am I not surprised you want to talk dirty?” “Because I’m a pervert and proud of it. Now, tell me how that plug feels.” “It feels so good, but not as good as you’ll feel inside me.” Derek’s dirty talk had Brandon so close to coming he gritted his teeth to hold on. “You’re thinking of my cock stuffing your hole while you fuck me?” “Are you trying to make me come?” “I want to know if you’re picturing me fucking you while you’re fucking me.” “Yeah, I am,” Brandon snarled. “I’m picturing your big fucking cock reaming my tight little ass.” Stunned by his own words, Brandon surged forward, filling Derek as deeply as he could. When he did,

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Derek growled and clenched his buttocks together, which also gripped up good and hard along Brandon’s prick. “Breed me, baby. Dump your load good and deep.” Derek angled up, loosing his grip, then clamped down more firmly than before. “I’m going to breed you so fucking deep you’re gonna taste my cum at the back of your throat.” Having never talked so dirty in his life, Brandon climaxed so hard he lost his breath. Digging his fingers into Derek’s hips, he held him still as he unleashed jet after jet within him. “Ah, fuck yeah.” Derek squirmed. “That’s what I needed.” “Even in this position, you’re still totally alpha.” “That’s right.” Derek rose up slowly, which eased Brandon’s softening prick out. “And now I’m going to fuck you while your sweet, hot cum is still leaking down my leg.” Turned on by his raunchy talk, Brandon quickly found himself bent over with his hands eagerly parting his cheeks. “That’s it. Show me that sweet pink hole.” Derek twisted the plug around as he eased it out. “That feel good, baby? Yeah? Just wait until I stuff that hole with my big cock. That’s gonna feel so good I’ll make you cream again.” Derek kept up a steady stream of perversity as he worked the plug in and out of Brandon’s ass. “For the love of God, Derek, fuck me already!” Brandon was almost frantic to feel him inside. “Remember in the shower after the game when I said you’d beg me to fuck your ass?” Brandon uttered a frustrated laugh. “Yeah, that’s right, pretty boy. You’re begging to feel my cock up your ass. Demanding even. With a raised voice.” “If I lower my voice and grovel, will you please get on with this?” Derek eased the toy out and tossed it in the sink. He then spun Brandon around and picked him up by draping him over his shoulder. Brandon didn’t ask. He let his impulsive caveman carry him to the

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bedroom and throw him down on the bed. Peering at him with a look that was pure sex, Derek tossed a bottle of lube beside him. When it bounced, Derek flicked his brows up and down. “You’re gonna need that.” Playfully, Derek leapt on top of him, keeping his weight from crushing him by absorbing the impact with his powerful arms. “Com’ere, you.” Derek kissed him so thoroughly Brandon was breathless by the time he stopped. And then Derek cupped his face tenderly. “You are unbelievably special to me. Don’t you ever forget that.” Brandon’s head spun. Derek dropped the raunchy talk and turned so tender it was almost heartbreaking. Working his body leisurely, Derek eased Brandon’s legs apart and put himself between. Rising up on his arms, he slipped his cock against Brandon’s exposed bottom. The playtime with the toy had left him ridiculously sensitive. Each pass of Derek’s prick made him quiver and his breath catch. Holding his entire body steady but for his hips, Derek pressed his cock against Brandon while looking right into his eyes. Determined to hold his gaze, Brandon kept his eyes held to Derek’s even though they wanted to roll up from pleasure. Thick and stocky, Derek’s cock eased inside him. Unlike the toy, Derek’s shaft didn’t narrow then flare to a flat base, but expanded. “Oh. God.” Brandon couldn’t hold on anymore and broke eye contact when his head flipped back. “Beautiful, baby. So beautiful.” Placing open-mouthed kisses along his shoulder, Derek worked his way to Brandon’s neck, where he bit hard and growled. Brandon responded by lifting his ass submissively to Derek’s possession. Even silently he was demanding and begging for Derek’s cock. Slipping his hand down while kissing him, Derek took Brandon’s flaccid cock into his hand. “You’re gonna come with me.” “Yes, yes.” Brandon thought he could come and come and he’d

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still keep going. Derek had pushed him to a height he’d never even imagined obtaining. Whatever thoughts or fears he’d had about anal sex were shattered and replaced with a reality that stunned him. “This isn’t what you expected, is it?” Derek asked. “It’s better, so much better, and I think it’s because I waited for you.” Displaying the core strength of a god, Derek held his body angled up with one arm so that he could jack Brandon’s cock with the other. Grabbing the bottle of lube, Brandon squeezed a stream over Derek’s fist. “This is gonna make a hell of a mess on your bed.” “Good.” Brandon didn’t care anymore. Hiding and feeling ashamed had always destroyed his pleasure. His relationships were fleeting and unfulfilling. But this reaffirmed everything he’d always known in his heart. As Derek increased his pace, Brandon braced himself. Faster and faster Derek rode as his fist flew along the length of Brandon’s cock. “I’m gonna come. God, Brandon, I’m gonna come so hard. Hold onto me, hold on.” Leaving off on Brandon’s cock, Derek shoved his hands under his ass, lifting and pinning him into the perfect angle. “Ah, yeah, ah, yeah, that’s beautiful, so fucking hot and tight and oh, my pretty baby.” Derek shoved into him and held his position as he dumped his load deep. Brandon felt everything from the pulse of his prick to the copious spurts of climax. But Derek wasn’t finished. “You’re gonna milk me, baby. Flex your ass around my draining prick.” It was so vulgar Brandon came after two strokes while his rectum quivered around Derek’s cock. Once he was empty, Derek dropped onto him with his full weight, then gripped him tightly and rolled so they were side by side. “You okay?” Derek asked. “I am better than okay.” Brandon kissed him. “And you have the

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rankest mouth I have ever heard in my life.” Unbelievably, Derek blushed. “I kept expecting you to laugh at me.” “God, no! Why would I?” “Because sometimes I say things that are pretty crazy.” “Not crazy,” Brandon reassured. “Dirty, raunchy, vulgar, and so fucking hot.” “Yeah?” “Yeah. Anytime you have something to say in that type of situation, you should say it.” “All your talk about longing to play with toys and not ever telling anyone reminded me of my longing to talk like a total pervert. I never have until you. I mean, a bit, but not with this total abandon.” “But you always wanted to?” “Yep.” “We have a theme of firsts,” Brandon said. “That’s perfect because this is the first night of many nights. And the first time I’ve ever said what I’m about to say.” Derek took a deep breath, pulled Brandon close, looked him right in the eye, and said, “I love you.”

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Chapter 9 “I love you, Brandon.” Derek’s heart skipped a beat. “I’ve never told anyone that, but since tonight is the night for firsts.” Derek shrugged nonchalantly, but, clearly, Brandon didn’t buy it given the speculative look on his face. “You can act like saying that doesn’t scare the hell out of you, Derek, but I know it does. I know you feel a hundred times more vulnerable right now than you did when I was taking your virginity.” That was true enough. As an athlete, Derek didn’t fear physical pain. Emotional pain, on the other hand, put such a fear in him he’d never allowed himself to be vulnerable. Until now. Even though Brandon had said the words first, Derek still feared when he said them in return, Brandon would laugh, or change his mind, or do something equally devastating. Brandon, of course, did nothing of the sort. “I love you, too.” Brandon grinned. “Whew!” Releasing a sigh of relief, Derek kissed Brandon’s nose. For a long time they just stayed twined together, recovering, dozing, lightly fondling. “I really don’t want to do this, but we have to discuss strategy.” Derek rolled away and grinned when the lube they’d doused themselves in was sticky enough to almost hold them together. “And clearly, we’ve got to wash off.” Into the shower they went. Within moments they were totally out of control. Sliding his cock between Brandon’s legs so that the tip rubbed that sweet spot between his hole and his balls, Derek then wrapped a soapy fist around Brandon’s prick.

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“Get inside me.” “Naw, I want to fuck hard, and that would hurt after what we just did.” Derek thrust between his legs experimentally. “This okay?” “Damn, yeah.” Brandon angled his hips forward, lining up Derek’s cock. “But my hands aren’t doing anything.” “They should be hanging on.” As soon as Brandon gripped the glass wall of the shower enclosure, Derek proceeded to fuck like a piston. Brandon’s inner thighs cradled his soapy, slick cock, and on the topmost part of the stroke, the tip of his prick slammed into the back of his balls, pushing them forward. “Talk dirty to me,” Brandon pleaded. “You like my fist on your shaft?” “Yeah.” “I’m gonna stroke my fist as I fuck between your legs.” “Oh, God, Derek, do it. Hard.” Derek yanked down on Brandon’s cock as he shoved forward, squeezing Brandon between his arm and hips. “Yeah, pretty boy, tighten up those legs, crush my cock, ah, yeah. When I come, I’m gonna splatter all over your balls.” Derek had no idea where all this rough talk was coming from, but by the way Brandon was panting and clinging to the wall, it was turning Brandon on something fierce. “Come, baby. I want to watch your jizz hit that glass.” With a growling cry, Brandon came, blasting the frosted glass of the shower wall. Satisfaction for pleasing his mate surged through Derek. Snarling, he wrapped his arms around Brandon and bit down on the back of his neck. Brandon whimpered and cupped his hand to Derek’s head. “Mark me. Mark me while you come.” Like a wild animal mounting and claiming, Derek marked Brandon as his own then came hard. Recovery took a long time. “We came in here to clean up, right?” Brandon asked.

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“We’re clean,” Derek defended. “Of body, at any rate.” Quickly they rinsed off before they ran out of hot water. “I’m gonna miss that shower.” Brandon ran a towel briskly over his hair. “Yeah, it’s pretty nice.” Derek considered everything around them. Some of his prior concern about money crept back. “We’re not going to be able to afford anything nearly this fancy.” “So we’re going to live together?” “That’s the plan.” Derek paused. “Damn, I didn’t ask. I’m sorry. Um, do you wanna move in together?” “Let me think about—yes.” Brandon grinned. “And you’re okay with our digs being more…pedestrian?” “Are you living there with me?” “Yeah.” “Then that’s all that matters.” Derek wanted to kiss him, but he knew if he did, they’d get delayed all over again. Lifting his hands in surrender, Derek said, “We’ve got to pack first.” “Right.” Most of the furniture was rented, so packing up Brandon’s clothing and toiletries took less than an hour. And Derek made sure they got all the toys. He even washed and packed the one from the sink. Loading up what few items were stocked in the kitchen barely filled half a bag. But given their financial state, they needed everything they could get. “You mean the dishes, silverware, even the pots and pans are all furnished?” “My mother sees to all that.” Embarrassed, Brandon dipped his head. “Hey, it’s not a big deal. We’ll be fine.” “You know, I don’t even know how to shop for that kind of stuff.” “Like I do?” Derek wrapped his arm around him, pulling him against his chest for a backward hug. “We’ll figure it out, dude. Even

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if we have to watch those cooking shows on the weekend. Or, God forbid we’ll have to ask some”—Derek gasped loudly—“girls!” “Cooties!” Brandon squealed. After a pause, he said, “I’ve never even gone grocery shopping.” “Damn, you’re like a holy creature.” After nipping his ear, Derek whispered, “Well, you’re not so sacred anymore. I mean, after everything we did, I’m pretty sure your halo has at least slumped sideways.” “At this point it’s down around my ankle.” Derek laughed, and Brandon joined him. “See? If we can keep a sense of humor, we’ll be fine.” Doubt was there that Derek could protect Brandon and provide for him, but he realized he wasn’t in this alone. If they worked together, there wasn’t anything they couldn’t accomplish. “Let’s get over to our temporary crash pad.” **** Sleeping on his back on the floor was a far cry from the luxury of Brandon’s bed, but that he woke up with Brandon in his arms made Derek happy. Nuzzling his neck, Derek bit and kissed lightly until Brandon woke up, too. “What time is it?” Brandon mashed the palms of his hands against his eyes. “Butt fucking time?” Derek asked hopefully. “God, Derek!” Brandon rolled over, laughing hard. “Do you ever stop?” “I told you”—Derek pointed to his head—“ninety-eight percent sex thoughts about Brandon.” Frowning, he waggled his finger. “Keep up, dude, we’ve already covered this.” “Yes, Boss.” “Now that’s the way to get my stick shifting.” Derek grabbed Brandon’s hand and placed it on his cock. “Take me for a drive,

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pretty boy.” “I’ve got to grease your chassis first, Boss.” Brandon took ahold of Derek’s cock and started working his way under the covers. “I can hear you.” Brandon’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates. “Hark, a voice from above!” Derek leaned up. “Hey, Cory.” “Hey, Derek.” There was a sigh and a squeak of bed springs as Derek’s dorm mate rolled over. “I don’t care if you two fuck like animals, just keep the noise down.” “But I want to talk dirty.” Derek grinned at the relief that washed down Brandon’s face. “Just do it quietly,” Cory said. Instead, Derek and Brandon got up and got dressed. If Brandon got caught sleeping over, there wouldn’t be a big stink unless the student advisor realized he was living here for free. Spending the night and moving in were two different things. If Derek got caught, he’d get kicked out and lose the money he’d paid for his room. “This is probably going to stink on ice, but the cheapest way to solve this issue is to get you a bed here.” “With you?” Brandon asked hopefully. “That would be fucking epic, but unlikely. If we found someone for Cory to move in with, we could do a trade, but the guy will have to be pretty awesome to replace me.” “Really?” Brandon asked skeptically. “I’m hardly ever home, so Cory has the place to himself most of the time.” “Ah.” Brandon frowned. “Where are you all hours of the night?” Arms crossed, Brandon gave him the highbrow of inquisition. “I like to party.” Derek blushed. “I usually sleep wherever I end up. Not in anyone’s bed, I’m not a manslut, just on the couch, the floor—that kind of wherever. It’s not a whoever but a wherever. I just want to be real clear on that.” “I get it.” Brandon held up a shushing hand. “I get it.” He

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chuckled. “How do we go about getting me a room here?” In short order, with Derek’s expert finagling skills, they secured Brandon a room with a guy they didn’t know and who wasn’t in the room when they went up to inspect the premises. The layout was the same as the room Derek shared with Cory. “Huh. Your mystery roommate is clean and orderly.” Whoever this Evan Bannon was, he was obsessively organized. “I think he used a ruler to line up these books.” “Well, I’m relatively fastidious, so we should get along splendidly.” Brandon tossed what few possessions he had on his unmade bed. “It’s nine, you know.” “I know.” Derek had kept one eye on his watch and the other scanning for Brandon’s father and his big ass car. Brandon said Alexander would be in a black limo, which would stand out in the little mountain town like a winter coat at the beach. “We’ve got to get to class.” Brandon pulled his books from his backpack. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.” “You can’t blow off all your classes.” “I can, and I will.” Derek had left his backpack in his room so he could be unencumbered. “There are people who will cover for me.” “I can take care of myself.” “I know that.” Derek pressed his forehead to Brandon’s. “But I’m a protective alpha male, so indulge my caveman tendencies.” “Only if you fuck me later.” Eyebrows rising as he grinned, Derek said, “Damn, I love it when you talk dirty.” “Good. I’ve been taking lessons from an excellent teacher.” On their way out to the quad, they encountered Dylan Peterson, who asked for a minute of their time. Curious, since Dylan hardly ever talked to anyone, Derek and Brandon followed him. Dylan led them into an empty hallway where he grabbed Brandon and proceeded to do the unthinkable. Dylan

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Peterson, the most homophobic asshole on the planet, kissed Brandon. It was a breath-stealing kiss that obviously shocked Brandon since he didn’t resist. Derek was so stunned he didn’t react, not right away, at any rate. “What the fuck?” Derek grabbed Dylan’s shirt and yanked him off Brandon only to find Dylan’s lips now mashed on his. Worse, Dylan breathed out into his mouth. Before Derek knew what the hell was going on, he found himself going down like he’d suddenly turned boneless. As he sunk to the floor, Dylan grabbed his arm. “Sit down, Derek. This will go smoother if you don’t fight me.” Dylan helped steady him as he lowered him to the floor. When Brandon approached to get Dylan off of him, Dylan kissed Brandon again, pulling him down onto the floor. Tangled in a heap, the three of them went around and around with the kissing and breathing until Derek was dizzy and weak. Once he was finished with them, Dylan stood. “Before you kick my ass, talk to Danny Jones. He’ll explain what I just did and why.” As suddenly as he’d shown up, Dylan disappeared. Derek considered giving chase, but he was still trying to assimilate what the hell had just happened. After a while, Derek’s lightheadedness abated, and he was able to stand. Derek offered a hand out to Brandon. “You okay?” Clasping his hand, Brandon rose. “What the hell was that all about?” “Fuck, some prank? More gay chicken? Who the hell knows.” Derek felt oddly relaxed and yet hyperaware, like he was wide-awake stoned. “We’ll do what he said and talk to Danny, but we’ll do that later. Let’s get you to class.” As soon as they exited the dorms, Derek felt his stomach fill with bricks. “Brandon?” “I feel it, too.”

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The urge to grab Brandon’s hand was strong, but Derek resisted. If someone came at them, he wanted both hands free. Just like his son, Alexander did the unexpected. Rather than creep up on them with a sneak attack, he strode toward them with the soulless confidence of a paid assassin. Alexander Sanders even smiled, as if Derek and Brandon would be happy to see him. Anyone watching from a distance would see only a man happy to see his son. To see the callous entitlement, one had to be much closer, like Derek was. He was close enough to notice the ring on Alexander’s finger was glittering in the bright morning sunlight.

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Chapter 10 Each step Alexander took closer pumped more adrenaline into Brandon’s already overloaded system. The need to take flight or stay and fight shook him down to his toes. As much as Brandon wanted to run, he knew that would solve nothing. He had to stand up to his father. And he had to do it now. Brandon’s sense of smell was so acute he swore he smelled each molecule of scent that formed Derek’s fight response. Brandon didn’t sense one scrap of a flight response in Derek. By nature he was a fighter. With his heightened sense, Brandon smelled that Derek wanted to grab Alexander and break him in half over his knee. When Alexander was three feet away, a blast of pheromones told Brandon that Derek was primed to kill him with his bare hands. To calm him, Brandon stepped to his side and placed his hand upon his arm. “Let me fight my own fight.” One edge of Derek’s lip curled up, and in that split second where they met and held one another’s gaze, he swore he heard Derek speak directly into his head. “You say what you need to say, but if that man so much as lays a finger on you, I’m going to kill him.” Brandon nodded, as if hearing his lover’s voice inside his head was a normal everyday event. Buoyed by Derek’s confidence in him, Brandon turned to face his father. For the first time there wasn’t a piece of protective furniture between them. Derek was at Brandon’s side, lending his strength, and even though he was afraid, Brandon wasn’t going to run or blubber placating promises. He would fight,

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but only with his words. Unlike his father, Brandon wouldn’t use the threat of violence to get his way. Alexander stared directly into Brandon’s eyes, ignoring Derek completely. “Come along, Brandon.” As if seeing his father for the first time, or perhaps seeing him clearly for the first time, Brandon realized something he’d never seen before. That his own son was petrified of him was a tragedy, but what made it revolting was the pleasure Alexander took in Brandon’s dread. “You enjoy terrorizing me.” Appalled by the epiphany, Brandon could only shake his head. Alexander’s pale gray eyes narrowed as he leveled them on Brandon. “Come along, Brandon.” He delivered the words more forcefully this time, as if Brandon hadn’t obeyed because he simply hadn’t heard him. “I’m not going with you.” Flashing a bored smile, Alexander said, “The more you delay me, the greater your punishment.” It was as if Alexander were blaming Brandon for the physical abuse he would dole out later when no one was watching. “Nothing on this planet could make me get into that car with you.” Brandon settled his stance. Quite suddenly his father shrank in his eyes. Seeing him in the harsh light of day, Brandon realized he wasn’t the stomping ogre from his youth anymore. He was a middleaged man with a narcissistic streak that enabled him to commit atrocities without batting an eye. Alexander lived to feed his own pathetic ego. And all his life Brandon had inadvertently helped. But not anymore. “I’m not a scrawny teenager you can beat with impunity.” Brandon took a step toward his father. “I’m big enough to hit back.” For a split second Alexander’s eyes widened, revealing his fear, but the mask slammed back over his features. “I have no intention of striking you, Brandon. You will obey me and get in the car.”

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“Are you deaf?” Derek stepped forward so he was even with Brandon. He gave his hand a squeeze before letting go. “He already told you no.” Clearly unaccustomed to being told no by anyone, least of all his son, Alexander visibly bristled. After a deep breath, he smiled coldly and leveled his ruthless gaze on Derek. “My son might have spread his legs like a woman and let you breed him like a dog, but he’s still my son. Brandon is going to get in that car and go back to Boston where he’ll be taught how to be normal. I don’t care if I have to send him to every homosexual reconditioning operation I can find. I don’t care if they, in turn, employ torture devices to correct his behavior. He’ll learn. And he’ll never disobey me again.” Brandon was incredulous that anyone, let alone his own father, could be so coldly indifferent to another human being, especially his own son. Alexander spoke about Brandon as if he were a defective machine that he was determined to fix and not his only child. “Christ almighty, you really are a total crack cactus, aren’t you?” Derek looked ready to punch Alexander for simply existing. “It’s not so much that you want to fix Brandon because you think there’s anything wrong with him. It’s that you want to fix him so he won’t reflect badly on you. It’s not about him. It’s all about you.” Derek pointed an accusatory finger at Alexander. “You don’t care two shits about your son as a person. You just want to force Brandon to fit your image of what you think your son should be like.” Alexander didn’t flicker so much as an eyelash. “That is precisely what this is about. Brandon has obligations to his family. Unlike you, Brandon is part of a legacy, one that isn’t going to be truncated because he’d rather take it like a woman than give it like a man.” Brandon thought Derek’s brows would just about shoot right off the top of his head while his jaw fell on the snow-covered ground. Having been subjected to his father’s abusive tongue before, Brandon wasn’t surprised at anything his father said, but Derek had never

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encountered such heartlessness. Before Derek could sputter out his indignant shock, Brandon decided that he would not stoop to his father’s level. He might not have a lot to his name right now, but Brandon had his pride. Moreover, he had class. “I don’t want the legacy or anything that goes with it.” The only way he’d wear that ring was if someone placed it on his cold, dead hand. “You’ll be singing a different tune when the money dries up.” His father’s brows rose high. “Despite your defiance, you are a pampered child who doesn’t have the first clue about how much things cost.” “As true as that might be, I’ll learn. Keep your money. I’d rather have peace than riches any day. And I’m going to love who I want to love without worrying if you like my choice or not.” Defiantly, Brandon linked his arm with Derek’s. “This is the man I love. You can accept my decision and be a part of my life, or reject me completely and leave. Those are your two choices.” Without a word, his father turned on his heel and strode away. Brandon stood staring after him, stunned that after all this time, after all his fear, the battle ended with silence and a cold shoulder. “Brandon?” “I didn’t think he’d walk away.” “Are you disappointed?” “God, no. I’m just surprised. This feels anticlimactic.” “Do you think he’ll come back for you?” Derek waved to the departing limo then flipped the bird in the direction of the sleek black car. “He won’t be back.” Brandon felt that truth right down to his gut. “My father thinks that when the reality of living without his money hits me, I’ll come crawling back.” Derek wrapped his arm around him. “You won’t. You’re going to be okay. I promise.” Something inside was dreadfully hurt by his father’s rejection, but also there was tremendous relief. It was over. Brandon had confronted

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his father and lived to tell the tale. Now all he had to do was learn how to live his life. “You know what’s so funny about all of this?” With his arm looped through Derek’s, Brandon moved toward his first class. “There’s something funny here?” “Funny strange, not funny ha-ha. I thought my father had come because he’d discovered why I’ve been in college for five years. I was convinced he had come to force me back to Boston so I could attend a college where he could keep direct tabs on me.” Derek stopped moving across the quad. “What?” Brandon asked, looking around. “Damn. I knew you were too good to be true.” “I beg your pardon?” “Five years in college and you haven’t graduated? Damn.” Derek examined him with a dubious eye. “You’re either a total party animal or intensely stupid. Which one is it?” It took Brandon a moment to realize Derek was kidding. “Here I am just barely coming down from the death-defying sport of confronting my father, and you decide to pull my leg?” “Hey, you needed to lighten up. So, fess up. Are you a foam jockey or a desk sleeper?” “Foam jockey?” “Big beer drinker.” “Ah. No, and I’m not a desk sleeper, either. I’ve been taking the funds my father has been giving me to go to business school and using those funds for studying something other than business.” “Color me intrigued.” “I want to be an architect.” “Really?” “Really.” “For a second there I thought you were going to say you wanted to be a dentist.” “Why would I say that?”

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Derek waved him off. “It’s from a kid’s Christmas movie. Hermey the misfit elf didn’t want to make toys for Santa. He wanted to be a dentist. Now, tell me about your lust to be a naked architect.” “I don’t remember using the word naked.” “Hmmm.” Derek considered. “Must just be me. So, you’re a naked architect who wants to build me a shrine. Go on.” Brandon shoved his shoulder. “Enough. You’ll just get worse.” After a breath, Brandon said, “All my life I’ve been fascinated with buildings. I’ve always wanted to design them, but my father had my life mapped out from the moment I was born.” “Hell, knowing him, he had it planned since you were a zygote.” Snickering, Brandon nodded. “I knew if he found out I was going after my architectural degree instead, he’d pull the plug. I only have one more year. And this is one of the schools that has the specific program I need. I can’t lose my spot, or I’ll have to wait years to reenroll.” “Then you’re not going to lose it. You’re gonna get your sweet ass to class”—Derek pinched his fanny—“and study hard.” Brandon opened his mouth to interrupt, but Derek cut him off. “I am not finished. Tonight we are going to go talk to Danny to find out what the fuck is up with Dylan and then we’re gonna sit down and do a budget.” “That should be simple. I have zero dollars in the bank, and I earn zero dollars a month.” Brandon had an insane urge to run to the bank and withdraw as much money as he could before his father shut the accounts down. Just as strongly he refused. He wasn’t a thief. And it was time to stop living off his family’s money. The idea was just as empowering as it was terrifying. “We’re gonna be okay.” Derek ruffled his hair. “I’ve lived on next to nothing for years. I can teach you.” Casting him a dubious glance, Brandon said, “You do seem well fed.” “I am. That’s the beauty of dorm food.” Derek patted his perfect

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abs. “You know they dole out extra to the athletes, right?” “They do?” “Hell yeah. They want us to win. Bring some glory to this campus.” “Well, that’s something, at least.” Brandon cast his gaze around the campus. “You’re going to be okay. I swear, you really are.” “I believe you.” Brandon did. “That which doesn’t kill me makes me stronger, right?” “Damn straight.” “I have only one major concern.” “Only one? See, you’re budgeting already.” Derek reached for his fanny, but Brandon spun away and scooped up a handful of snow. “I know how to use this,” Brandon threatened. “Yeah?” Derek picked up a veritable boulder of snow. Brandon dropped his pathetic wad and thrust up his hands. “You win.” Grinning, Derek tossed the snow aside. “What’s this one concern of yours?” “Where the hell are we going to hook up?” “That’s what you’re worried about?” A look of grateful surprise transformed Derek’s handsome face into something one step away from beautiful. “We won’t have the soundproof sanctuary of my apartment. And I want to play with those toys. And—” Brandon never got to finish. Before he knew what was happening, Derek had flipped him over his shoulder and proceeded to carry him across the quad. “Where are we going?” “Shower room.” “Isn’t there a class in there right now?” “Nope. Whole damn building is empty until noon on Mondays.” “You have all the schedules memorized?” “I happen to like the showers in there better than the dorm

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showers, so yes, I know when it’s empty.” “Ah.” Brandon bounced against Derek’s muscular body. “I could get used to this mode of transport.” “Good.” Derek patted his ass. “I like carrying you this way.” “Feeds your caveman tendencies?” “Totally. Me big horny man. Need to fuck.” Derek stopped mid stride and lowered Brandon to the snow-covered ground. “Why are you stopping?” “That whole thing your dad said. You don’t think I agree with that crap, do you?” “God, no. That’s his bullshit, not yours. Or mine. Not anymore. You don’t treat me like a woman or a dog or anything other than a man.” Brandon cupped his face. “For a long time I let his beliefs cloud my needs. But I’m tired of hiding, of lying. There is nothing wrong with what we do together.” Derek went to pick him up again, but Brandon held him off. “Class, remember?” “I’ve got your class right here,” Derek said, cupping his bulge. “You’re incorrigible.” “And you totally love me for it.” “Yes. Yes, I do.”

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Chapter 11 “Let me get this straight. We’re shape-shifting bears who are a part of your…sloth, was it?” Derek nodded while casting Danny Jones a dubious eye. “I told you they weren’t going to believe us unless they shifted.” Dylan Peterson was slumped down in the lone recliner in Danny and Matthew’s seventies-style apartment. “Oh, we believe you.” Brandon, who was sitting next to Derek on the orange couch that looked oddly perfect against the chocolate carpet, gave him a look that said the opposite. “This is a little difficult to swallow.” Derek turned his attention to Matthew. “Is this some kind of reverse hazing? I mean, you’re the new kid around here, not us.” “It’s not a joke,” Matthew said. His expression was dead serious. “Okay, so what do we do with this amazing power?” Derek had felt an odd tugging on him when Brandon had been confronting his father. If the man would have lifted so much as a finger, Derek would have stomped his balls into the snow. If the two of them had shifted into a bear, they could have eaten him. “We don’t know yet,” Danny said. “You’re only the second pair to join.” Derek and Brandon exchanged glances. “Remember the blond-brown bear you saw in the back of the equipment truck?” Danny asked. “Yeah.” He and Brandon had already talked about how their memories of that event seemed kind of murky. But when Danny mentioned it, Derek’s mind sharpened and his memory clarified. “It

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was there, and then it was gone, leaving you and Matthew behind. A naked you and Matthew behind.” “That’s right.” Danny settled on the armrest of the couch so he could sit next to Matthew. “Dylan twinned our souls with the kissingbreath thing, and then we could shift like that.” “But you don’t know the reason for this,” Derek clarified. “Not yet. All I know is we have more who will join us, and then, hopefully, our mission or goal or whatever will be revealed.” “So what do we do until then?” Brandon asked. “I know.” Derek had an immediate answer to that question. “Remember this morning when you asked me what time it was?” Brandon’s look of confusion vanished. “Don’t say it. Just— don’t.” “I don’t need to say it if you know.” Derek stood and offered out a hand to Brandon. “Come with me if you want to come.” Brandon laughed and stood, keeping a hold of his hand. “I don’t think that’s exactly how that movie line goes.” “Yeah, but mine’s funnier. And totally accurate.” “What am I going to do with you?” Brandon asked, sounding like he didn’t mind in the least. “Oh, don’t worry. I have several options for you.” “Have you?” “Yep.” Derek pointed to his head. “Remember, ninety-eight percent is sex thoughts about Brandon.” “Why don’t we try shifting, just to see what it’s like?” Brandon suggested. “Here?” Derek considered the apartment. “Probably not the best idea. Check out this floor.” When Derek bounced a few times, all the furniture wiggled. “I’d hate to go plummeting into the apartment below.” “Good point,” Brandon said. “And how would Danny and Matthew ever explain why they had a bear in their apartment?” “Ooh, yeah, think of the rumors.” Derek laughed. “Filthy college

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boys and their bestial lusts!” “But you did feel the pull to shift, right?” Danny asked. He seemed a little perturbed by their joking attitude, like maybe they didn’t believe him or weren’t taking this seriously. Derek believed him. Without even asking he knew Brandon believed Danny, too. They were a bonded pair who together could shift into the form of a grizzly bear. As strange as it sounded, it was also the truth. Nothing else could explain what had happened between him and Brandon. But the only way Derek could deal with the staggering information was to joke around. Still, he didn’t want Danny to think he was disrespecting him. “Definitely.” Derek dropped the jocularity. “When we were confronting Brandon’s father, I was able to speak directly into Brandon’s mind.” Derek had been astounded by the intimacy of that moment. Telepathically, they could communicate complicated ideas with a nuance of mental contact. “I felt so connected to Brandon I wanted to merge into him to keep him safe.” “I felt the same thing.” Brandon tightened his grip on Derek’s hand. “And my sense of smell was so acute I literally smelled Derek’s urge to fight my father.” “Fight? Naw, I wanted to beat the arrogance out of him then shove that ring up his ass.” “That wouldn’t have solved anything.” “Yeah, I know.” Brandon had handled the situation with class, which was a hell of a lot more impressive than Derek wanting to handle it with fists. “But it would have felt fantastic. It’s just that alpha male caveman thing I’ve got going on.” “Or alpha male bear-man thing.” “Good point.” Derek pulled Brandon close. There were still questions left unanswered, but for now, Derek felt secure in his relationship with Brandon. Together they would survive their senior year. They’d play the best ball they could, and hopefully they would never need to find out if they really could shift into bear form.

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Because Derek had a feeling shifting would only happen if they were in dire straits.

THE END WWW.ANITRAMCLEOD.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anitra Lynn McLeod has been writing since she was twelve. Creating unique worlds is her forte, combining unlikely genres such as historical, fantasy, futuristic, and erotic into a steampunky—and steamy—brew. Reading, writing, and white-water rafting are the three things she enjoys the most. You can visit her at www.AnitraMcLeod.com, write to her at [email protected], or fan her at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anitra-LynnMcLeod/323123001356. You can also follow her on Twitter @AnitraMcLeod. Or if all else fails, you can also snail mail her: Anitra Lynn McLeod PO Box 16631 SLC, UT 84116-0631 Send a SASE for a free bookmark.

Also by Anitra Lynn McLeod Siren Classic ManLove: Gridiron Gods 1: Waterboy Siren Classic ManLove: Dirty Cowboy Siren Classic: Devil’s Due

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