"I like "just guys,"" David told him honestly. He gathered his courage. "Your trailer, where is it?" Asking the question sent a hot surge of blood through his veins. He felt like a superhero. Twelve feet tall and bulletproof. Giddy, he decided that arousal, almost unfamiliar after so long, was making him bold.
"You know, it"s funny."
Jory gazed at him. "What is?"
"Someone put in an order to the G.o.ds that I"d find a good man." David cradled Jory, amazed at how right and familiar he felt. "I think I did."
To his surprise, Jory shook his head and looked away. "I"m not that kind of man," he said quietly. "I"m nowhere close to that. I"ve done ... things. You know? I mean, everyone has, and I didn"t mean to hurt anyone, but don"t make the mistake of thinking I"m "good." Okay?"
"Hey." Still braver than he would normally have been, David nudged at Jory"s chin with his own. When Jory"s eyes met his again, he whispered, "You"d never hurt me, would you?"
Jory blinked in what looked like shock. "Hurt? Hurt you? G.o.d, no. Who"d want to do anything so wrong to you, to someone ... gentle?"
David pulled Jory in tight. "There isn"t enough gentle out there to go around," he said, his voice rough. "Let"s go. I don"t know what"s going on, but it ..."
"... feels right." Jory pulled away from David, but only long enough to grab his hand and secure his booth. "Come with me."
His voice was stronger and full of desire -- yet still good-humored. "The way my luck runs, you could wake up from whatever spell this is any second now, and you won"t want to mess around with someone like me. I want to catch the magic. Like a b.u.t.terfly in a net."
David couldn"t resist another kiss. Soft and gentle, slow and sweet. "Okay," he whispered. "Okay. Lead the way."
Chapter Four
Following Jory to his trailer, David felt like a teenager again, like his first crush, sneaking underneath the bleachers with a guy from the fencing team. They"d both hung out there every day to watch the football players, not really talking about anything, but both somehow knowing why the other was there.
One day the guy had tapped him on the shoulder and nodded at him to follow. David still remembered how surprised he"d been at being invited anywhere. He"d always been picked last for teams, no one wanted big David, so he"d followed, more from curiosity than anything else.
What a shock he"d gotten. The fencer had been waiting for him, pants already unzipped. His c.o.c.k hadn"t been out, but it was obviously hard. David had been able to see it outlined through his pants before the young man had cupped himself and started rolling his b.a.l.l.s.
"Come on," he"d said. "No one else is going to give you a chance. Suck me off."
And he"d tried. Man, how he"d tried. But he hadn"t known what to do with his tongue, or how to keep his teeth out of the way.
The guy had pushed him off in disgust after a few minutes. "You are useless," he"d snorted. "Stupid f.a.g." He"d left David on his knees on the muddy ground, not even hard himself, trying his d.a.m.nedest not to cry.
And then there had been that guy at his prom. David had been outside on the swings when the multiple-pierced punk, a little like Bree, had come up. He"d liked that guy, with his rough cigarette voice and his tattoos. But he still hadn"t had any experience at that point.
He"d told that story to The Brotherhood once. What he hadn"t said to anyone, not even Tommy, was how kind the punk had been afterward about turning down the "fresh meat." The memory still embarra.s.sed David. After the punk came on to him, discovering David was a virgin had been more than the man felt up to dealing with -- he must have liked a little experience in his men. He"d helped David up off the ground and even offered him a smoke, although David had been too embarra.s.sed to accept.
"Take it easy, kid," he"d rasped. "It"s not an easy life, being like we are. You think I"m different? So are you. So"s everyone who likes guys better than women. Just remember, when it gets hard -- and I don"t mean that way, kid -- you"ve got friends out there you never even knew you had. And," he"d added, brushing dirt off David"s tuxedo lapels, "the next guy you meet could be The One. Capital letters and all."
David had tried to say something, but Punk had just thumbed his cheek in an easy caress and winked. "Don"t spoil the moment. I don"t get to play older and wiser too often."
After meeting Tommy at a country and western bar, he"d followed the big bruiser"s silent request to go to his own truck, then had been struck blind by all the hot touching, groping, and slurred words of affection that had ensued. He"d thought that Tommy was The One. And he"d been nice at first, all warm hugs and cold beers, holding hands and kissing. Tommy"d taken David"s virginity and accepted him for who he was ... at first.
But then ... David shivered. Up ahead of him, Jory stopped. He turned around, curious and looking more than a little nervous. "Are you all right?"
David nodded, summoning a smile. "I"m fine. It"s just ... memories. And stuff."
"I know how those go." Jory hung fire for a second, hooking his thumbs into his belt loops. "It"s okay if you"ve changed your mind. Cross my heart and hope to die, I promise I won"t be mad at you for deciding this is nuts."
That made David want to laugh. "I still want to go to the trailer with you," he said softly. "But let"s take it slow for something this fast. That is, if that makes any sense."
"It makes perfect sense." Jory studied David"s face. "Wish I could kiss you right here," he said frankly, if quietly. "We took a big chance earlier, modern laxity aside. I guess we"re lucky, huh?"
David touched his lips. He could still feel Jory on them. His ribs twinged, in remembrance of the beating he"d taken. "Yeah,"
he said. "We"re really lucky."
He eyed Jory warily for the first time. He was a big guy, but not as big as Tommy had been. If things went wrong and Jory turned out to be a creep, David could take him. Christian had taught him a couple of ways to fight dirty.
But for all that, he didn"t want this to go wrong.
Simon"s voice argued in the back of his head. It could. What are you thinking, to run off with a man you barely know?
What about HIV status? Do you want to risk another bashing?
"You are ... on the level, aren"t you?" he asked suddenly. "This isn"t some kind of joke or game, is it?" Jory"s eyes widened. "Jesus, no. Did you think --? You did! David, no. If you"d let me, I would touch you again right now.
I"d show you how much this is definitely not a sick prank."
David shook his head. "I"m putting a lot of trust in you."
"And I mean to make sure I earn that trust." Jory brushed a curl off David"s cheek. "Come on, cowboy. We"ll be all right. I promise." He drew an X over his chest. "Scout"s honor."
"I think you have that wrong. Isn"t it like this?" David held his fingers up in a gesture.
Jory made a face. "Actually, I think that one"s "Live long and prosper" -- or something obscene in the UK."
When David broke into chuckles, Jory grinned, his face lighting up. "Made you laugh."
David felt a sort of warmth stealing through him. "Yeah, you did."
"Good, "cause ..." Jory stopped and laid a hand on a small trailer"s door. "We"re here. It"s not much, but it"s home. Or at least it"s home away from home. The actual home is a bas.e.m.e.nt apartment on the West Side." He grimaced. "Kind of the wrong side of the tracks for someone like me."
"Like you?" David had to ask, puzzled.
Jory gave him a curious look. "Well, gay," he said. "There"s all this stuff going on about how enlightened people are, but there are plenty of guys out there still who"d kick the s.h.i.t out of us for what we"re about to do." He flashed David a hopeful grin.
"Which we are, aren"t we?"
A vision of the punk from so many years ago flashed through David"s mind. In his gravelly voice, the man ordered David to shut them both up -- they were talking too much.
David agreed.
Heedless of whoever might be lurking in the dark, spying on them, he took Jory by the waist and touched his lips to the other man"s. Jory stiffened in surprise, but then, with an appreciative murmur, let his mouth fall open. David tried sliding his tongue over Jory"s lower lip, and when Jory gave a soft sigh of pleasure, stroked in deeper. Jory"s tongue twined with his in a gentle give-and- take.
That close, it wasn"t hard to imagine what they were feeling for each other. David had the evidence pressed hard against his thigh. So good. It"d been over a year. Since Tommy, of course. He"d wondered if there would ever be another someone in his life, and if he"d ever again be able to handle the feel of a man"s c.o.c.k without flinching or stop being afraid of a fist to the head if he moved wrong.
And yet, he"d never expected anything like Jory. The man moaned and moved against him, rocking his hips into David"s.
Both gasped as their c.o.c.ks b.u.mped.
"You"re amazing," Jory whispered into their kiss. "Do that again? Don"t make me beg."
"Inside." David kissed Jory. Once, twice, possibly five more times. "Now."
Jory pulled away. His lips were swollen and looked even better than before. He bore a little redness on his cheeks from David"s own five o"clock shadow. David impulsively put out a hand and touched it.
"Beard burn," he explained in response to Jory"s blink of curiosity.
"Mmm." Jory put his hand over David"s. "You put your mark on me." He bit David"s thumb lightly. "I like that."
Another wave of arousal washed over David. He hadn"t had anything but his own hand for too long, and he thought he was going to explode if they didn"t get inside that trailer right away. "Jory," he begged. "The door. Please."
"Oh! Yeah, right." Jory half-laughed as he dug in his hip pocket and pulled out a small bra.s.s key chain. His fingers were steady and his expression that of a man concentrating hard as he inserted a key into the cheap lock on the trailer door. "Be d.a.m.ned, it opened without sticking. You must be good luck. Come on in," he said, almost formally. "Just don"t expect the Ritz, all right?"
David pinched his own waist, then he jostled his bag. " I don"t need a mint on the pillow. I"ve got enough candy for both of us, anyway."
"Hey. Quit that." Jory"s hand touched David"s, pushing it away. "Would you please cut it out? You"re not fat. You"re just not a waif, that"s all. If you were all bones, I wouldn"t want you. I like someone who"s more than half an armful. And I want you, okay?"
David"s eyes stung. "Thank you," he said. "Um ... thanks."
"Welcome." Jory gave a half-bow, indicating that David should go in first. "After you, milord."
Both were laughing as they stepped inside. Jory fumbled at the wall, flicked a switch and ... nothing. "Aw, d.a.m.n. Out again,"
he said, sounding chagrined. "Careful you don"t trip over anything. Stand still for a second while I get my bearings." David kept his place by the door. The sudden urge to be playful seized him and he went with it. Felt so good to give in, to grab Jory by the hips and pull him close.
They kissed again, even sweeter for there being no sight or sound to distract them. Nothing but the noise of their mingled breaths and the sound of mouth moving against mouth.
Even bolder, David slipped his hand between them. He traced one finger down the length of Jory"s erect p.r.i.c.k, loving the way the man gasped and swore under his breath.
"Much more of that and I"m going to go off like a Roman candle."
David didn"t take it as a scolding. He could hear the teasing and urgency in the other man"s voice and wanted more of it.
Just as if he were young again, he began swinging slowly, rocking the two of them in an impromptu dance. "Listen," he said.
"Can you hear it? The fiddles have started up. Must be that band I heard would play tonight."
"Mmm. Yeah." Jory slid his arms under David"s, resting his hands on both shoulder blades. "You make a great romantic date."
David could feel himself burning up. "I"m not romantic."
As if he could see in the dark, Jory zeroed in and nibbled on David"s lower lip. His teeth were sharp, but he didn"t hurt.
"You are, too," he said firmly. "A great man in my arms, sweet country music starting to play. All we need are candles -- hey, candles!"
He jumped out of David"s arms.
"Ow!"
David winced, having heard the sound of impact. "Did you hurt yourself?"
"My ankle, d.a.m.n it. I forgot I left a wooden box of lockets and cameos in here. I didn"t want to take them out front. Little things get stolen so easy."
"Oh, G.o.d, your booth!" David froze. "We forgot about it!"
"It"ll keep. I know how to secure stuff for when I step away." Jory stopped cold. "Hold on a second, David. I know what you"re thinking, and I didn"t mean --"
"You do this a lot?" David backed away, feeling the metal of the trailer cold against his back. "I should have known."
"No! David, I swear it. No." Jory tugged at him. "Keep on dancing. You"re a natural, and you feel so d.a.m.n good in my arms. I"m on the level, I swear."
David exhaled heavily. In a sliver of moonlight, he could see Jory"s face, turned to his, almost pleading. As if playing it up, Jory grinned, tickling his fingers up David"s chest. "Don"t be mad at me. Wait until I really screw up to bring out the anger."
He couldn"t help it; David chortled. "Stop! That tickles." He moved into the embrace Jory sought, gently touching their foreheads together. "It"s going to be hard to stay mad at you -- ever -- isn"t it?"
"Glad you think you"ll be with me for a while," Jory said, sounding breathless. "I know I will. And I want you so much right now." Arms tightened around him. "How about less talking, a little more action, a little more satisfaction?"
"Sounds about perfect to me," David agreed. He fell into another kiss, knowing what to do this time, remembering the little moves to make that would draw needy sounds from Jory.
They kissed faster and more frantically, mouths roaming over each other until their movements were desperate. Both rocked against each other, ravenous for more contact but not willing to let go. Not yet. But if they didn"t ...
Jory took David by the hand. "Mattress. On the floor. There"s a candle."
"Lighter?" David felt light-headed. "For the candle?"
"Got it covered."
Covered. David"s mental Simon jumped in. "Oh, s.h.i.t. Condom?"
"d.a.m.n it!" Jory sagged against David. After a second, he laughed. "You can really tell I wasn"t expecting company tonight, can"t you?"
"Ssh. It"s okay." David nuzzled Jory"s cheek. "Take it easy. I have one."
"You carry?"
"I have a friend who watches out for me." David grinned bashfully, thankful Jory couldn"t see his face clearly in the dark. He reached for his wallet and drew out the small foil-wrapped square. Pressing it into his new lover"s palm, he stole another kiss.
"Lead me to the bed."