by D. J. Manly
Rob’s hand wrapped around his cock, squeezing, while his other hand flirted with Steven’s opening, inserting a digit and moving it up past the first ring of muscles.
Steven moaned, his breathing growing shallow as Rob fucked him first with his finger and then with his cock. The motion from Rob’s hips suddenly drove him into the wall. His teeth rattled; his entire body tingled. He shouted something. It was absolutely mind-blowing. He exploded with a powerful orgasm, his cum running down the wall in streams. Rob uttered a groan; his entire body shuddered then went limp, and for the longest time he didn’t move. He stood there, holding onto Steven.
“Rob?”
His head stayed on Steven’s shoulder for a moment. “Wait,” he said softly. “Give me a minute.” He uttered what sounded like a sob, then he cleared his throat and moved away.
Steven waited a minute before he turned around, assuming Rob needed some privacy. His mind screamed I love you. But he wouldn’t say it. When he turned around, Rob was doing up his pants. Rob didn’t look at him. “You’re going to rip out my heart,” Steven said.
Rob looked at him now.
“I don’t know why I said that.”
“I don’t know why you said that either. It’s not my intention.”
“You’re in a lot of pain. I’m happy that I could…”
“Don’t.” He put up a hand. “It wasn’t about that entirely. Don’t do this, Steven. I’m not able to handle it right now, okay?”
Steven nodded. “Let’s get to work.”
“Good idea.”
They worked together several nights over the following two weeks. Rob didn’t try to touch him again and Steven didn’t mention it, but he was suffering. Rob was suffering too, presumably because of his daughter. Apparently there had been no change in her condition. The doctors were hoping for a miracle.
When Steven got on the plane to Boston, he had already made his decision. After this campaign was over, he was leaving his job. He was doing so with a heavy heart but he was desperately in love with Rob, and he wasn’t about to get over it. He knew if he stayed, he’d end up making love with Rob again and again. Rob had never promised him anything, nor had he explained about his family situation. He had only himself to blame for this. Madison’s mother was staying in Rob’s house now. Everyone at the office knew about it. It looked like they were back together.
Rob was late that morning. He barely made the flight. By the time he had walked onto the plane, Steven was practically frantic. He was never so relieved to see anyone in his life. “I thought you were going to miss the flight,” he said, mystified to see the expression on Rob’s face. He was beaming.
“I’m sorry,” he said, settling in the seat. “I have good news. Madison is responding well to this new treatment. The doctors think it’s going to work this time.”
Steven hugged him tightly. “Rob. I’m so happy for you and Madison’s mother. That’s great news.”
“I’ve been at the hospital all night with Monica. They just got the results.”
He talked a bit more about the treatment and then closed his eyes. Rob slept most of the way while Steven looked out the window, so tempted to cover Rob’s hand with his own. He refrained, digging his nails into his palm instead.
When they arrived at the hotel, Steven held his breath until he heard that they had separate rooms. On the way up in the elevator, Rob eyed him, a quizzical look on his handsome yet unshaven face.
“What?” Damn, he was too sexy for words, especially when he was unshaven like that.
“Nothing. It’s just that you looked so anxious at the desk. Relieved to find out we’re not sharing a room?” He lifted an eyebrow.
“No, I … I didn’t think about it really.”
“You’re a liar. Actually, our rooms adjoin, in case you—” He stopped. “But you won’t.”
“What are you talking about?” Steven fingered the key in his hand.
“Lately, you’ve been … I don’t know.” He shook his head. “I thought maybe we had something.”
Steven shook his head. “You are fucking unbelievable.” The elevator dinged and the doors opened.
Rob followed Steven down the hallway. Steven stopped in front of his room. He was furious, sad, confused. He struggled with the key, just wanting to get inside, away from Rob.
Rob suddenly put his hand over his. “Stop. You’re going to jam the key in the lock.”
Steven yanked his hand away. “I don’t want to fight with you, especially not here. This is an important meeting. We need to focus on—”
“How can I focus when all I can see is you?”
Steve looked at him, his mouth agape. “You better speak to Monica about that.” He made a final attempt with the key and the door opened. He hauled his bag inside, closing the door behind him. When he turned around, he gasped. Rob was standing there by the bed, the door between the rooms open.
“So, I’m to have no privacy?”
“You want me to leave, say so.”
“Leave.”
“You can’t just throw things at me then run away. Now, what in hell does Monica have to do with how I feel about you?”
“She is the mother of your child. She’s been living in your house.” Steven pointed at him. “You looked shocked. You didn’t think I knew that, did you?”
“That’s not why I’m shocked. I’m shocked at what a gossip mill the office is. I’m sure they’re talking about us too.”
“I don’t give a damn. Madison is going to be fine. She needs her father.”
“And she’ll have him. I’m not going anywhere. Actually, Madison will come to live with me part-time, now that her mother is dead.”
Steven narrowed his eyes. “Monica is dead?”
Rob shook his head as he sat on the edge of the bed. “No. Caroline is dead. She died three years ago. Cancer. That’s why I was so scared when Madison got leukemia. It took Caroline fast.”
“Wait. I’m totally confused. Isn’t Monica Madison’s mother?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re her father?”
“I am.”
“And who is Caroline again?”
Rob stood. “Steve, Caroline and Monica were together, a couple. I went to school with Monica. We were best friends. When she fell in love with Caroline, they wanted to have a child. They asked me to donate the sperm. When Caroline was alive, I had minimal contact with Madison. It’s the way she wanted it. She was the birth mother. After she died, Monica was devastated. She asked me to take a more active role in Madison’s life. I agreed and fell in love with my little girl. We have shared custody. When Madi got sick, Monica agreed to let me bring her out here where they have the latest medical treatment. Why in the hell would you think I was married? I’m gay, for God’s sakes.”
Steven met his gaze. “I’m so sorry, Rob. It all makes perfect sense now.”
“Why didn’t you say something? Why didn’t you just come out and ask me instead of assuming the worst?”
“You were in such a bad mood and I thought…”
“That I was a married man fooling around.”
“Rob, I…”
He turned and left the room, closing the door between them.
“God damn it!” Steven bellowed at the top of his lungs. “Damn it, Rob. I love you.”
The door opened again. Rob stood there, looking at him. “You what?”
Steven flushed with embarrassment. “Nothing. I’m just letting off steam.”
Rob smiled at him.
“What in hell are you grinning about?”
“I thought I heard you say that you loved me.”
“I didn’t exactly say that.”
“Oh yes, you did.”
“I said, I’d love to knock you on your ass.”
Rob took a few steps toward him. “You’d love to do what to my ass now?”
“You need a hearing aid,” Steven accused, but his resolve was wavering. A smile was threatening.
“
Oh really?” He came closer, reaching out for his hand. “I don’t know about the hearing aid, but I do need you.”
“Rob”—Steven bit his lip—“don’t say things you don’t mean.”
“It’s not my style to say things I don’t mean, or to do things I don’t mean.” He was standing close enough now to kiss him. “Now, say it again.”
“Say what?” He was already lost in those eyes.
“Say I love you, God damn it.”
“I love you God damn it.” Steven swallowed, tears pricking his eyes. “Don’t make me say it again.”
“I will make you say it again. I want you to say it over and over to me for the rest of my life. How does that sound?” His voice was soft, strained. “I love you, Steve. I tried to fight it, but I’ve lost the battle. Kiss me, will you?”
Steven reached out and smoothed back his hair. He ran a hand over Rob’s rough jaw. “Yeah,” he said, “okay, I guess I can do that.” He planted both hands on the sides of his face and kissed his mouth.
Rob put his arms around him and held him close. “You’re not getting a promotion,” he whispered in his ear.
“I don’t need one.” Steven kissed his mouth again. “All I need is you, right about now.”
“Well,” he said, stepping away from him, “I’d love to oblige, but we have a presentation to give in about two hours and I have to shower and shave and change my clothes. We need to eat. And it takes at least a half hour to get to Costner Inc.”
“Do you think they’ll mind if we’re late?” Steven pleaded.
“Aw, personally, yes.” He grinned.
“Are you always going to be the levelheaded one?”
“Someone has to be.”
“Rob?” he said as Rob walked back to the adjoining room door.
“Yeah?” He glanced back at him.
“I’m the happiest man alive today because of you.”
“Just wait until later,” he said, winking at him, “I’ll make sure you’re ever happier.” The door closed.
Steven paced a few minutes, looked at the clock. Oh, what the hell. Rob might be the levelheaded one, but this was no time for practicalities. Steven walked to the door between the suites and pulled it open. He smiled as he heard the shower running. Rob was humming. Steven stripped off his clothes and left them on the bedroom floor.
Rob looked around in surprise when he saw Steven pull back the shower door.
“Don’t say anything, boss. I know. You said we didn’t have time. And you know”—he smiled, letting his gaze travel the length of Rob’s delicious naked form—“I thought about it and I decided that we did have time after all.”
Rob smiled as Steven backed him up against the tile. “Is that so?”
“Um, it’s so.” He ran his hand up over Rob’s chest, pressed his lips to one of his nipples and licked the water off of it.
“You do realize you’re being insubordinate?”
“So fire me,” he taunted.
“Don’t be cheeky.”
“You know, I think I was in love with you the moment I saw you, even in my drunken haze.”
Rob’s hands moved down over Steven’s back to his ass. He squeezed his ass cheeks gently and pulled him closer, capturing his mouth with his. They kissed hotly then Rob pulled Steven around and pressed his chest against the wall of the shower. “You’re beautiful, Steven. And I think I loved you too the moment you fell between my legs in that bar.” He laughed, nibbling his ear as he inserted a finger up inside him and slowly rotated his digit.
Steven was panting. He smiled into the tile, grunting as Rob pressed his erection up in between his ass cheeks. “How are we going to work this boss-employee thing anyway?” he teased. “Do I always have to play the submissive?”
Rob grabbed his hips and began to enter him slowly. “Oh, I don’t know. You don’t seem to be minding it at the moment.”
Steven moaned with pleasure as Rob’s cock pushed up inside of him.
“And if you’re a really good boy,” Rob breathed into his ear, “I might just let you play boss sometimes.”
Steven started to laugh softly but his laughter transformed itself into pleading as Rob began to fuck him nice and slow. He was driving him wild. Steven’s hands tightened into fists against the wall and he banged them gently until Rob picked up the pace, fondling his cock all the while.
They came almost at the same time, Rob’s arms folding around him as he leaned back against his chest, turned his head, and sought his lips. They kissed tenderly for a few minutes then Rob released him. “You’re a naughty boy,” Rob accused, rinsing off then stepping out of the shower.
“Guess you’re just going to have to punish me, boss.”
Rob laughed. “Later. Now, get dressed, you’ve got the presentation of your life to give, baby.”
Steven sighed good-naturedly. “Back to business, eh, gorgeous?”
Rob waited until Steven got out of the shower. He wiped his back off with the towel then he wrapped him in his arms, kissing his neck.
“Hey boss, thought we were in a hurry?” Steven teased, turning around in his arms.
Rob looked at him thoughtfully. “We are, but this is more important all of a sudden. We’ll get to the meeting in plenty of time. But first I want to tell you one more time that I love you. And if sometimes I forget, and I get too wrapped up in other things, remind me, okay? You’ll always be the most important thing in the world to me, you and Madison, of course.”
Steven swallowed hard. “Thanks, baby. Do you think Madison will like me?”
“Madison is going to love you, almost as much as I do.”
“I’m pretty happy.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Only one more thing would make me happier.”
“What’s that?”
“A raise, a bigger salary? I have connections now. I’m doing the boss.”
“Will you do that dance you did for me in the bar that night?” Rob grinned.
“Will it get me a raise?”
“Of course, but not monetary.”
Steve laughed. “A bigger office?”
“Maybe.” He grinned, leaving the bathroom.
Steven stood there for a few moments with a smile on his face. “Well, in that case…” he mused.
The End
Jupiter
Chapter One
The truth was, the moment the judge brought down that gavel, Alex really didn’t care what his sentence was to be. He had been severely depressed for months, and the medication he was on made him feel numb. “Ten months community service at Jupiter,” the social aid lawyer said into his face. He appeared to be pleased about that for some reason.
Jupiter was an advanced institute of knowledge for the creatively gifted, and during the summer, Alex had broken into the school and done some heavy-duty property damage. Jupiter was several miles outside the city limits. He’d been drinking heavily and riding around on one of his friend’s old scooters when he saw that ritzy, white school of the arts. Suddenly, he was filled with such rage. A few days later after he’d sobered up, he went downtown and turned himself in to the police. Now, several months later, here he was, being sent back there again.
The lawyer led Alex from the courtroom. Alex’s mother and younger sister followed at his heels. “Did you take your medication?” his little sister asked softly, moving up beside him and sliding her hand into his.
He looked down at her a moment. “Yes, Jesse,” he said. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. He squeezed her hand. “It’s okay. Everything will be okay.” They’d buried Manny, and been through two court proceedings in the last year, one of which saw the sentencing of his brother’s killer. Jesse was only fourteen. It was too much.
“Why do you have to go away?” she whined. “And why don’t you come back and live at home, Alex?”
He shook his head. “I can’t now. I won’t be far. I’ll see you.”
They stopped at the end of the corridor. He’d been living in a
rooming house for the last few months. It seemed he and his mother didn’t have anything to say to each other any more.
“The fact that you managed to complete high school went good for you,” the lawyer said suddenly. “You do understand that you’re not to associate with members of that gang and…”
“Yes,” he said, nodding. He had no interest in seeing any of them ever again.
“I wasn’t sure you were listening in there,” the lawyer said. “You seemed to fade out and … maybe you should have your meds adjusted.”
Alex’s gaze was on his mother, who stood looking out the window. Manny had been the best of them. He had been her hope for a better life. Now, he was dead. And it was his fault. He doubted she’d ever forgive him. He doubted he’d ever forgive himself.
Alex had gotten himself involved with the Rebeldes—or the Rebels, as the white folks called them—not because he wanted to be in a gang, but because he’d developed a crush on their leader. Slade was in his class at school—that is, when he bothered to show up to class at all. In Alex’s eyes, it seemed Slade could do anything. He had power and money. He had everything that Alex’s family had to struggle so hard for every day. When Slade spoke, people listened, and that was what Alex was really attracted to. Somehow Slade picked up on the fact that Alex had this crush on him and he played it, had fun with it, flirting with and teasing him. Alex began to hang out with the gang, although he was never officially a member. He followed Slade around like a puppy, and began to get into trouble at home. He didn’t do his homework; he didn’t respect his curfew. His older brother Manny started to get on his case, and one night, Manny cut his class at the local college, and went looking for him. When Manny found him with the Rebels, he was furious. Alex had been warned time and time again to stay away from these guys. Alex was embarrassed when Manny treated him like a child in front of the guys. He told his brother to go to hell, and there was a fight, a fight that got out of hand and ended with his brother lying on the pavement in a puddle of blood. Slade had murdered his brother right in front of him. Since then, Alex had never been able to close his eyes without seeing all that blood.
