Slice Of Life 2016 Read online

  A lot. There was no way to count how many times Kyle had called at the last minute to say he couldn’t meet them for dinner or a movie or whatever the plans were because there was an emergency at the center. “No, but once was too many times.”

  “I know and I’m sorry.” Kyle ducked his head. “Once this transition happens, this will be better.”

  “Kyle, do you think things are bad?” Javier stared down at that bowed head and felt a surge of panic. Kyle always seemed so strong and capable, and he was so smart. All things Javier never felt about himself. How could he reassure Kyle of their relationship when he himself never felt sure about anything?

  A strong hand settled on his shoulder and Javier glanced up to see that Saul had joined them. Javier didn’t know how much he heard, but he felt instantly better. That gaze promised everything would be all right and when Saul’s hand joined his on Kyle’s head, he felt their lover’s whole body go lax.

  Saul eased onto the couch beside him and nodded toward Kyle as if encouraging him to continue taking the lead. Javier just stared back. First Kyle hints that he thinks things aren’t good and now Saul was ceding control? Had the world gone mad?

  When he didn’t say anything after a few minutes, Saul sighed. “You were doing just fine until I came in. Do you need me to leave?”

  Javier couldn’t have been more shocked if Saul had punched him and by the way Kyle’s head snapped up, he knew they were thinking the same thing. Who the hell was this imposter and where the hell was their real Master?

  February 2016

  Chocolate Hearts and Cuban Sandwiches hosted by Carly’s Book Reviews

  “Are we there yet?” Owen asked as he fought the urge to rip the blindfold from his eyes. He forced himself to take a deep breath and focused on Chris’s presence beside him.

  “Almost.” Chris gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. One thing he knew with absolute certainty was that Chris would never hurt him and that little reminder went far in helping him relax. “You’re doing really well, baby, I’m so proud of you.”

  It had been months since Chris moved into his room and Owen tried every night to work up the courage to shut off the nightlight that came on automatically. Chris would smile encouragingly and never once made him feel like a failure when he couldn’t do it. Instead of ridicule, Chris would hold him close and whisper words of love and praise, promising that it was perfectly all right for a grown man to need a light to sleep. As much as Owen appreciated that Chris accepted him as he was, it made him feel immature and weak.

  Ugh, he needed to think about something else. “Thank you for a wonderful Valentine’s Day.”

  “It’s not over yet,” Chris assured him, his tone dark with promise and it made Owen smile.

  Valentine’s might be a foreign holiday to him, but Owen knew neither of them were really into the chocolate hearts and flowers cliché. Chris often bought him flowers just because it made him smile and he preferred those over some mass-produced bouquet of roses. As for chocolate hearts, well, Chris woke him up by drawing little hearts all over his ass with chocolate syrup. Of course, then Chris had to lick them off one at a time, slowly driving him crazy until he was begging to be fucked. Instead of giving in, Chris flipped him over and started drawing little hearts again. He loved it when Chris pushed him, bringing him to the peak and backing off over and over until they were both so ramped up they couldn’t hold back.

  Chris’s sexual past was a lot like his own which included quick encounters that were all about getting to the orgasm. The momentary satisfaction did the job at the time, but couldn’t compare to the bone-deep satisfaction of making love with Chris. That was the only term that fit because what they did together was so much more than just trying to get off.

  After brunch in bed and a desert that included whip cream on Chris’s dick, they showered and caught an early showing of Deadpool, declaring it the best romantic comedy ever. Nothing about their day was clichéd and that only made it better.

  Owen thought the only proper ending for their romantic day was back in their bed and maybe some takeout, but Chris surprised him with the blindfold when they were leaving the movie theater. Chris knew how frustrated he was by his fear of the dark and he found a creative way to work through it with him. Putting the blindfold on while it was still early allowed him to see light at the edges of the blindfold. As they drove, the light faded until all he had was Chris’s hand holding him together and he wanted so badly for that to be enough.

  “I love you.” He needed to say it because even if this didn’t cure his fear, the fact that Chris never gave up on him meant so much.

  “I love you too, Owen.” Chris raised their clasped hands and kissed his knuckles. “I’ve been thinking about the nightlight, about what it’ll mean if we shut it off, and I think it needs to stay on.”

  “But…” Owen frowned. He didn’t know where Chris was going with this and he didn’t like not being able to see his face. Though he normally kept his face even, rarely giving much away, Chris always let him see what he was thinking. There were so many reasons he could give for why the light should go off, but Chris knew all that and was still saying it should stay on. “Why?”

  “Because it makes it easier to watch you sleep when I wake up in the middle of the night.” Chris’s lips grazed his knuckles again and he felt his heart clench. He didn’t know Chris did that. “Watching you sleep makes me happy. You’re relaxed and peaceful, and I feel like it’s because you trust me to watch over you. To keep you safe. And—” Chris moaned a little, the sound going straight to his balls. “—watching you sleep makes me horny and I like being able to see you while we’re making love.”

  It was true that Chris often woke him in the middle of the night and Owen loved being wanted so much that even sleep couldn’t stop them, but now he had to ask, “Why do you wake up in the middle of the night?”

  “Honestly? I think it’s because I still can’t believe that we’re real and I wake up to make sure it isn’t just a dream.” The car came to a stop and then the blindfold was sliding away. Owen blinked a few times until Chris’s smiling face came into focus and the love he saw there stole his breath. “You’re better than any dream I’ve ever had and being able to see you there beside me is everything. Please don’t take that away.”

  He knew Chris was always honest with him and wouldn’t make something up just to make him feel better. Was it possible that his nightlight was keeping Chris’s demons at bay too? If that were the case, then Owen couldn’t think of one good reason to turn it off. “I won’t.”

  Chris’s smile was brilliant as he leaned in for a kiss and Owen sank into it, needing to reassure Chris that they were very real. Those soft lips encouraged him to open, not that Owen would even think of resisting. It just wasn’t physically possible for him to deny Chris anything. When they finally parted for air, Chris whispered, “Thank you.”

  That gratitude killed him every single time. He had so many reasons to be thankful for Chris, not the other way around, but Chris would never let him get away with saying that. “Let’s go home. I need to do things to you that would be illegal in public.”

  “You do say the sweetest things.” Chris chuckled and kissed the tip of his nose. “Let’s get some takeout so we don’t have to leave our bed until morning.”

  Owen looked out the windshield and grinned. Cuban sandwiches sounded perfect. “Great minds think alike.”

  As they walked hand in hand into the sandwich shop, Owen couldn’t keep the smile from his face. He’d been so hung up on his failure to shut the light off that he’d missed its true purpose—it allowed them to truly see each other no matter how dark the world was around them.

  March 2016

  Thinking Mushy Thoughts hosted by 3 Chicks After Dark

  Ty frowned when he saw Kyle’s car parked in the driveway. He didn’t begrudge Chase time with his cousin, but his boy always confirmed before inviting company over. After a long day in the shop working on an intricately
detailed custom build, all he wanted to do was relax with his little family and unwind. Well, that wasn’t all he wanted, but for the kids he could be patient until bed time rolled around to get what he really needed—Chase.

  As Ty parked the bike in the garage, his frown turned into a scowl when he realized that Chase’s car was missing. Not confirming company was a bad enough, but not letting Ty know he was going out was completely unacceptable, especially after the Alicia incident. That was the only day in their relationship that Chase was not where he was supposed to be and Ty knew he wasn’t over the helplessness that he felt when he realized what was happening.

  With fear stoking mere annoyance into anger, Ty tossed his gloves on the bike seat and stalked into the house, ready to wreak havoc on Kyle and whoever else might be with him. The sight that greeted him wiped away the stress that followed him home, the annoyance, and the lingering fear that was entirely too close to the surface for his liking.

  It didn’t take a second to realize what he already knew deep down—that Chase would never willfully defy him without a damn good reason. Later he’d have to take the time to examine his reaction and the cause for it before it became an issue between them. Now, though, he’d take comfort in his lover’s arms.

  A naked Chase stood just out of reach of the swinging door, feet braced shoulder width apart, hands clasped at the small of his back, and his head held high. He was truly a sight to behold and Ty paused, letting all the negative feelings leech away so that he could revel in this gift before him.

  “Kyle and Javi picked up the kids an hour ago for a sleep over,” Chase said before he could ask, obviously recognizing the tension in his body for what it was. “Normally, I would have asked first, but I wanted to surprise you.”

  Chase had complete autonomy to make decisions for the children, though he normally did confirm them with Ty. That he would spread those wings to arrange some private time for them was perfectly Chase. His focus remained Ty’s wants, needs, and pleasure. For those reasons and all the other ways in which Chase made his life complete, it was Ty’s privilege to make sure Chase was as happy as he made them. Allowing his unresolved issues to take a second of Chase’s happiness wasn’t something he was willing to repeat.

  Ty let the door swing shut behind him and walked a slow circle around Chase, taking in the perfect lines of his posture. He stroked one finger down that straight spine, the touch feather light, causing Chase to shiver and moan. Ty continued his slow perusal, only stopping when they were toe to toe and those mismatched eyes were gazing up at him. “You’re stunning, Chase.”

  “Thank you, Master.” Ty could see the pride in Chase’s eyes and smiled when those already straight shoulders inched back a notch. “Dinner’s warming in the oven if you’re hungry.”

  He was, but not for food. Instead he reached down, grabbed two handfuls of Chase’s ass and snatched him right up off the floor. Chase squeaked in surprise, throwing his arms and legs around Ty before he unbalanced them, and blinked in confusion. He knew better than to assume or anticipate, and right now Ty’s need to have his boy in his arms overrode any desire for the kink that was woven into the fabric of their lives. If that was a residual from the earlier spike of fear, so be it.

  Ty leaned in, taking Chase’s mouth in searing kiss that had those strong limbs tightening around him. That immediate response was everything he needed and he pressed Chase against him, grinding them together. They had all night to explore and taking the edge off now would allow them to play longer later.

  He tore away from that irresistible mouth and asked, “Lube?”

  If the kids were gone for the night, then he knew Chase would have stashed supplies around the house so they could play wherever he wanted. “On the coffee table.”

  Ty turned with Chase still in his arms and crossed the living room. He snagged the bottle and handed it to Chase before continuing his journey out the patio doors. He didn’t stop until they were at the fire pit, well within view of any small boats or peeping neighbors. It’d had been a while since his exhibitionist got the thrill of an audience. Didn’t matter if anyone was there or not, it was the possibility that they could be that was enough of a thrill for Chase.

  He dropped him onto a double lounger and stood back to quickly shuck his clothes. Chase watched his hands, clearly wanting to do the task himself, and Ty knew the little denial would add another layer to his boy’s need. When his clothes were nothing by a pile on the brick, he grabbed his dick and stroked as Chase licked his lips in anticipation. It was tempting—Chase’s mouth was made for his dick—but there was no way he would last, so he denied that too.

  “Slick yourself.” Ty nodded to the bottle of lube clearly forgotten where it had fallen.

  With obvious reluctance, Chase tore his gaze away and focused on getting the bottle open so he could pour out a generous dollop. Then he drew his legs up and out, baring himself to Ty’s gaze as deft fingers sought out his tight hole. That gaze came back to his as Chase fingered himself, his throaty moans traveling on the tropical breeze. Ty remained standing, watching, and stroking and waiting for the sign that Chase was nearing his breaking point.

  Only then did Ty order, “Stand up and turn around.”

  Chase was off the lounger before the words were done, his back to Ty’s front, his body vibrating in anticipation of what would come next. Ty pressed a hand between his shoulder blades until Chase was bent at the waist, his hands on the lounger with his ass high in the air. Then Ty grabbed him by the hips, holding him still as he wedged his cock between perfect ass cheeks to thrust up and down.

  “Master!” Chase cried out and pressed back, but Ty wasn’t ready to give in.

  He continued to tease, drawing it out as long as he could, until neither of them could take another second, before he shifted position and slid home. Chase was his home in every way possible. It didn’t matter where they were, who they were with or what was going on around them, as long as Chase was at his side, he was home.

  Ty eased back, watching the slide of his cock until just the tip was holding Chase open. “Tell me.”

  The demand was punctuated with a vicious thrust that pushed Chase and the lounger forward, but the words he needed to hear were strong and clear. “I love you, Master.”

  He curled one hand around Chase’s throat, urging him up until they were pressed chest to back. “Look at me and tell me right.”

  Chase turned his head, his eyes glazed and his lips swollen as if he’d been biting them. “I love you, Ty.”

  Ty grunted in approval and slammed his mouth over Chase’s, taking his wild cries and heartfelt declarations inside. Strong hands sank into his hair as Chase reached back, seeking as much contact as he could while he buffeted Ty’s aggression. The words did that to him—made him feel aggressive, possessive, primal, and each snap of his hips declared that Chase was his to anyone privileged enough to watch the show. To the Gods that tried to take Chase away from him.

  “You’re mine,” he growled. “Mine.”

  “Yours,” Chase agreed desperately. “Your boy, your precious possession.”

  Yes, Chase was all those things and so much more. “My love.”

  Tears filled those eyes he adored and fell freely down flushed cheeks. “Ty.”

  Such a simple name, just two letters, but hearing it fall from Chase’s lips with such emotion was enough to push him right to the edge. Ty reached down to grip Chase’s erection and asked, “Ready?”

  Chase whimpered, nodded, then cried out when Ty thrust hard, driving him forward through the tight fist Ty had around his cock. Chase convulsed hard, his ass squeezing until Ty had no choice but to give into the orgasm that had been hovering ever since he walked through the door and found him waiting.

  Ty eased them down to the lounger and together they watched the sun set on another beautiful day. “Thank you.”

  Chase looked over and frowned thoughtfully, “For what?”

  The list was endless, but Ty knew just how to
sum it up. “For loving me.”

  Forgetting the sunset, Chase shifted until he was nestled beneath Ty’s chin. They’d get to dinner and the toy box eventually, for now all they needed was each other.

  April 2016

  There Are No Losers In Love hosted by Sassy Girl Books

  “I think we need to call a truce,” Billy suggested as he walked out of the bathroom with the lower half of his face covered in foamy glitter.

  Liam tried to look surprised but, while he was good at the subterfuge it took to execute the prank, he didn’t have the ability to keep a straight face long enough to get out the weakest of denials. Not that there was any doubt at this point who was pranking who, nor was there any question that he had started it all.

  “What do you—” He risked glancing over again and had to fight back the bubble of laughter that threatened his words. “—mean?”

  With a resigned sigh, Billy folded his arms and leaned against the door jam. “Go on, get it out of your system.”

  Weak as he was, that was all it took to get him to crack and Billy knew it. Liam doubled over, arms crossed over his stomach as he laughed. Just when he thought he had it under control, he’d look at Billy again and lose it.

  “You have to…” Liam waved a hand in front of his face, hoping Billy would go wash his face, but his man stood there in all his glittery glory until Liam’s laughter turned into desperate gasps for breath.

  Finally, he straightened, but instead of going back into the bathroom, he stalked Liam across the room and pinned him to the wall. “You think you’re funny, huh? Let’s see how funny you think this is.”

  Before Liam could guess his intent, Billy cupped his face and leaned in for a messy kiss. Liam halfheartedly struggled against the hold and his own laughter until they were both covered in the stuff.

  When Billy released him, he leaned back just enough to get a good look at the results and smirked. “Truce?”