by D. J. Manly
“Sorry, I blanked out there a minute. Yes, I remember Jordon. That’s cool.”
“Do you remember how he felt about you being here?”
He smiled. Yes. He remembered. He’d been all disapproving, but boy, when he’d gotten him alone, he’d made him forget about all his reservations.
“Scott!”
“Yes. I remember,” he repeated with a faint smile. “Oh.”
“Yes, oh. He’s here with Chase and…”
“Chase?”
“Oh, shit, you don’t know who Chase is, do you?”
“Oh yes, Jacques mentioned him.”
“After you and Ciel left, I called Jacques and asked him to send me a couple of boys. He sent me Chase and Cassidy.”
She paused, and looked down. “A tragedy happened. Cassidy was in with a bad guy, his lover, and he ended up getting shot.”
Scott’s eyes opened. “You said something about this yesterday. Shot, as in dead?”
“Yes.”
“Amanda, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know where to find you.”
Scott nodded. God, he’d had no idea.
“Chase stayed here afterwards for awhile,” she went on. “He took it hard. He was with Cassidy when it happened.” Amanda sighed. “Anyway, Jordon came to visit after our father died, and…”
“Your father died too?”
She nodded. “It’s okay, honey. You know that the old man and I were never close. The good thing is, Jordon and I finally have a halfway decent relationship. Anyway, Chase was here and Jordon was too, and … well, to make a long story short, now they’re together in New York. They’ve been together for about four months.”
“I see.”
“Don’t talk about Cassidy to Chase, okay?”
“I won’t.”
“So, what should I tell Jordon about Hunter and Ramsay?”
“Tell him the truth,” Scott said. “You’re the one paying for them. It’s not any of his business. How long is he here for?”
“Just a few days. His birthday is tomorrow.”
“Really? Does he know I’m here?”
“Not yet. He probably barely remembers you.”
Scott smiled. He doubted that. “Well, it’s time for a reunion then.”
Amanda took a breath. “I’m going to talk to Hunter and Ramsay, tell them to tone it down a bit. I’ll suspend activities with them for awhile. And you’re visiting, that’s all.”
“Sure.” He shrugged. “It’s the truth.”
“Go downstairs if you like. Chase is looking forward to meeting you. I used to talk about you to him all the time.”
“Good things, I hope.”
She grinned. “Of course. I’m going to talk to the boys, and then get dressed. I’ll be down soon.”
“Okay,” Scott said.
“And, love, we will talk about Ciel. You’re going to talk to me, aren’t you?”
“Amanda,” Scott sighed, “there’s nothing to say, really. I’m going to go and get my old job back tomorrow and find a small apartment downtown.”
“You were working?”
“Yes. I had to. We didn’t have much money. Ciel was at the university full time, waiting tables when he wasn’t studying. I couldn’t let him carry all the load.”
“Where did you work?”
“The Jock Club.”
Amanda’s eyes widened. “Stripping?”
“It’s called dancing nowadays,” Scott corrected.
“Stripping?” she repeated.
“It was the perfect job for me. I wasn’t shy about taking off my clothes. I have no skills. Where else could I work and make that kind of money?”
“And Ciel approved of this?”
“No. He didn’t.”
“Is that why you had a fight?”
“It’s only part of it, a little part. Amanda, it’s complicated. I don’t want to…”
“Okay,” she said gently. “Not today, but soon.”
He gave her a strained smile and followed her out of the room.
* * * *
Chase finished his coffee and sat back in the chair at the dining room table. He watched Jordon finish the last of his pancakes. “Where in hell do you put it?” he asked with a smirk.
Jordon grinned at him and rubbed his stomach. “I was hungry.”
“I guess so,” Chase said. He leaned across the table. “You have plenty of fuel now, handsome. Why don’t you take me upstairs?”
Jordon checked his watch. “It’s eleven-thirty in the morning.”
“Yeah, and…?”
Jordon laughed.
“Hello, Jordon,” someone said suddenly, causing Chase to turn around in his seat.
The laughter died in Jordon’s throat.
“Remember me?”
Chase took one look at Scott, and then one look at Jordon’s face and decided that Jordon definitely remembered him. Who in the hell could forget him? Beautiful skin the color of milky chocolate, sensational brown eyes. His muscles bulged all over the place, shown off to distraction with his blue nylon shorts and pale yellow tank top. So, this was Scott.
“Ah … Scott, isn’t it?” Jordon cleared his throat and stood up, reaching over to take his hand.
“That’s right,” Scott said. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten my name, stud?”
Their eyes met briefly. Chase’s jaw dropped.
“You must be Chase,” Scott said, turning to shake his hand now. Chase shook it briefly, noticing that Scott’s eyes quickly returned to Jordon. Well, fuck me, he thought.
“I heard a lot about you,” Chase said. It was enough to pull Scott’s eyes away from Jordon for a few seconds anyway.
“You heard a lot about him?” Jordon said suddenly, sitting back down at the table.
“Nervous?” Chase asked, meeting Jordon’s eyes and flashing him an overly brilliant smile.
“Nervous?” Jordon repeated, shrugging. “Why should I be … ah … nervous?”
“I don’t … ah … know,” he mimicked. “Should you be?” Chase met Jordon’s light blue eyes.
“I hope it was good things you heard,” Scott said, taking a seat at the table close to Jordon. Too God damned close.
Chase got up and walked over to where Jordon sat. He clamped a hand on his shoulder and eyed Scott. “Amanda adores you. She couldn’t stop talking about you when I was here. Jordon,” he said, digging his fingers into Jordon’s collarbone, “you didn’t tell me you knew Scott.”
“The subject … ow…” Jordon shifted around and glared up at Chase. Chase took his hand off his shoulder. “The subject never, ah … came up,” he said, rubbing his shoulder.
“Yes,” Scott said, running his gaze deliberately over Jordon, “we knew each other well. Do you remember that time Amanda left to…”
“Damn, what time is it?” Jordon blurted out suddenly, standing up.
“Looks like its confession time,” Chase sneered.
Jordon laughed. “I’m not Catholic, baby.”
“No, but I do seem to recall that you liked to get down on your knees, or was that me?” Scott asked in a silky smooth voice that made Chase want to reach over and slug him.
“Like I said,” Jordon said, “I’m not a religious man. Think I’ll take a swim. Are our bags upstairs, baby?” Chase stood up also and folded his arms across his chest. He glared at Jordon. Guess who’s not getting any tonight?
“Yeah, they are,” Chase said coldly. “You go on up and I’ll stay here with Scott and have a chat.”
The word “chat” came out exceptionally loud.
Jordon swallowed. “Maybe I’l…”
“Go on,” Chase insisted. “Dunking your head will do you good.”
Jordon opened his mouth, then he closed it, and quickly left the room.
* * * *
Amanda brought Ramsay and Hunter together, and warned them to behave. They said they would, which satisfied her for the time being, although she still wasn’t sure
how she was going to introduce them to her brother.
She was just about to go to her own room when she ran smack into the very person she was thinking about. Jordon looked pissed. “Hey honey,” she began. “What—?”
“Why didn’t you tell me Scott was here?” he demanded.
“I … okay.” She held up her hand as she visibly took a breath. “I know what you’re going to say. Scott is not here for that. He’s left his lover and he’s just visiting. It’s a transition, and…”
“I don’t give a shit,” he growled. “I fucked him.”
“What?”
“I fucked him.”
“You fucked Scott? Darling, you only just got here.”
“No,” he said, swearing under his breath. “I fucked him a few years ago. Remember when I got out of the hospital and Dad was acting his typical shithead self? Remember you asked me to stay here awhile?”
“Yes,” she said. Then her eyes widened. “You fucked Scott then?”
“Yes.”
“When I went to Stockholm on business?”
“Yes.”
She shrugged. “No worries. Scott probably doesn’t even remember it.”
“Thanks for the compliment,” he sneered. “But you’d be wrong on that one. Not only does he remember, he made a point of making it quite apparent to Chase that we knew each other in the … ah … biblical sense. Now Chase wants to skin me alive.”
She smiled softly. “Hon, that’s in the past.”
“Tell that to Chase.”
“He’ll get over it. No worries.” She patted him on the back. “A one-night stand. You can be forgiven for that, considering that was the reason Scott was here.”
“It was more like a one-week stand,” Jordon muttered.
She lifted her eyebrows. “Jordon, you naughty boy.”
He gave her a dirty look.
She laughed. “Chase will deal with it. He’s not the jealous type.”
“Hah!”
She laughed, patted his arm, and went to her room to get dressed. She was relieved that he wasn’t pissed off at her, and at least this stuff gave him something to worry about besides what she was up to. Maybe she just might survive these few days after all.
*
As Jordon continued on to the room he and Chase would share, he was startled by the sudden appearance of two young men, both gorgeous and half-dressed. “Hey, man,” the dark studly one said, seriously looking him up and down. “You must be the brother. You’re hot.”
“Ah, thanks,” he said, narrowing his eyes.
The other one looked like an angel. He gave Jordon a beguiling smile. “Hi, sweetie.”
Jordon raised a hand, turning to watch as they made their way downstairs. He took a breath, and then he turned and marched back down the hall. “Amanda!”
He had to wait over ten minutes before she let him in. She had dressed in a smart white linen dress and sandals. “What’s all the ruckus?”
“Who were those two guys I just met?” He gave her a severe look.
“Hunter and Ramsay.”
“And who are Hunter and Ramsay?”
“Ah.” She grinned at him and wrinkled up her nose. “The houseboys?”
“Amanda, you said…” He pointed a finger at her.
“Look, sweetie”—she slapped his finger away and took his arm…”don’t worry your gorgeous head about it. The way I see it, brother, you have other things to worry about.”
He made a face. “Don’t remind me. Look I don’t do this to be a pest. I worry about you. I wish you’d find someone, Amanda. All these strange men you…”
“Listen, Mr. Moral Majority. From what I know now, you’ve fucked two of these strange men, so before you preach, you better learn to practice a little abstinence. Agreed?”
He grumbled something under his breath.
Amanda took his chin and looked into his blue eyes. “Agreed, grouch?”
He sighed. “For now.”
“Good. Now relax and have some fun.”
“If Chase doesn’t kill me first. I doubt he’s going to let me have any fun. God knows what Scott is saying to him down there. Can you tell Scott to…”
“I’ll do what I can. Now get your trunks on and take a swim. Show off that body of yours and the others down there will eat you alive.”
He laughed and shook his head, and then headed to the bedroom to find his suitcase.
*
“So,” Chase said, watching as Scott took a seat by the pool, “how long did you and Jordon know each other?”
“Long enough to know he has a great cock.” He gave him a brilliant smile. Wow, this guy was getting pissed. This was fun.
“How long ago was this again?” Chase demanded.
“Is this the inquisition? Why not ask the boyfriend?”
“I’m asking you.” Chase glared down at him.
He had intense dark blue eyes, and they were quite a beautiful contrast to his black hair. Nice. Very nice. “Well, it was a few years back, shortly after I came here to live with Amanda.”
“And it was once?”
“What was once?
“When you got to explore his great cock?”
Scott laughed. “Well, Amanda was gone a week. I don’t know how many times, really … a few … Hey, there’s steam coming out of your ears, guy.” Scott laughed. “You didn’t even know him.”
“Not the point. Did he fuck all of Amanda’s boys?”
“I doubt he fucked all of us … but definitely you and me.”
Chase turned on his heel and marched back into the house. Scott threw his head back and laughed. He was still laughing when Ramsay and Hunter appeared.
“Who’s the hothead?” Ramsay asked, dressed in skimpy cutoff jean shorts that were just a little too tight.
“Chase. The one before you guys.”
“I’ve heard of him,” Hunter said, walking out after Ramsay in a pair of spandex swim trunks that definitely got Scott’s attention. “He was with another guy who got killed…”
“Yeah, well,” Scott cautioned, “it’s a moot subject, okay?”
“I saw the brother upstairs. I could lick him all over.” Ramsay uttered a little moan.
“He’s way out of your league,” Hunter said. “That’s prime cock there.”
“I’ve had prime before.” Ramsay gave him a defiant look. “I bet I get to taste his cock before you do.”
“You’re on,” Hunter said.
“Whoa, whoa!” Scott put up a hand, laughing. “Look, Amanda told you to behave.”
“She said we wouldn’t be doing any playroom activity,” Ramsay said. “She didn’t say anything about the baby brother.”
“You might get your ass kicked,” Scott commented with a smile.
“By who?” Hunter grunted. “That pussy I just saw?”
Ramsay laughed.
Scott raised an eyebrow. Chase didn’t look like any pussy he’d ever seen. He had a feeling the guy could handle his own. “You have been warned,” Scott said, pouring himself a drink from the half-empty bottle of scotch he’d taken outside with him. “Besides,” he said, taking a swallow, “if anyone is going to taste prime cock around here, it will be me. See me and Jordon, we got a past.”
Ramsay gasped. “Do tell,” he said softly, coming over and perching on the edge of a chair beside Scott.
Scott glanced up at him. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
Hunter dived into the water, apparently losing interest.
“Come on, Scott,” Ramsay urged. “Just tell me if he’s good.”
“He’s good,” he smiled. “He’s sweet as honey, actually, once you get past that alpha male bravado of his. And he looks even better with age.”
“How long ago did you do him?”
“Oh, a few years back.” Scott finished the drink and poured another.
“Scott, do you always drink so much?”
“Am I drinking a lot?”
“Yeah. If you need to talk … you kno
w it’s not good to bury your feelings deep inside or try to kill them with liquor.”
Scott looked up into those innocent-looking eyes of his and started to laugh.
“Did I say something funny?” Ramsay looked confused.
Scott glanced at Hunter, who was swimming around in the pool.
“All I meant was, sometimes you need to vent your feelings. I’m here if you want to talk.”
“I will, if you will.” Scott met his eyes.
“What … what do you mean?”
“It will catch up with you,” Scott told him. “You can run but you can’t hide.”
Ramsay looked uncomfortable. He stood up. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Really? Take one look at that guy over there coming out of pool and tell me again that you don’t know.”
Ramsay laughed a little. “You’re drunk.”
“I may be,” Scott said. “My thoughts may get cloudy once in awhile when I’m drinking, but there’s one thing I see plain and clear.” He drained his glass. “Like I said, Ramsay, you can run but you can’t hide. It’s going to find you eventually.”
“What’s going to find him?” Hunter asked, coming up to them now, his glossy black hair dripping.
“He’s drunk,” Ramsay scoffed, and walked back into the house.
“Are you?” Hunter asked him.
“Drunk?”
“Yeah, man. Isn’t it a little early?” Hunter took a seat on the chair beside Scott.
“Probably.”
“So, what’s your pain, man?”
“Oh, Hunter, give me a fucking break,” Scott told him. “You and Ramsay kill me.”
Hunter sat back in his chair. “I don’t follow.”
“You think I don’t know you guys knew each other before? You think I can’t see beneath the surface?”
“What in hell you talking about, man?” Hunter demanded.
Scott closed his eyes. The combination of sun and booze was making him sleepy. “When you’re ready, you’ll tell me. All I’ll say is, you may be fooling Amanda, but you’re not fooling me. Maybe one day, we’ll both decide to tell each other the truth.”
“Um,” Hunter replied. “Right.”
* * * *
Chase hadn’t said a damn thing since he’d walked into the bedroom, and that was maddening because Jordon knew that once he started, he was going to have a big headache. He stood watching silently as Jordon took off his clothes and put on his bathing trunks. Finally, Jordon couldn’t stand it anymore. “You know you’re killing me,” Jordon said, looking at him. “You know I hate it when you do this. Okay.” He put his arms out in the air. “Hit me. Beat the crap out of me, use that boxing shit your perverted old stepdad taught you when you were a teenager, or fucking say what’s on your mind.”
