by C J Baty
He'd been abused by someone he thought loved him. It had hardened him, left him bitter, and he had every right to feel that way.
"Stop thinking so much, you oaf," Damien said. He stood behind Robert while he focused on his thoughts. "You are amazing," he said as his hands traveled over Robert's shoulders and back. "I've never seen such a powerful and yet sensitive body. You react to every touch. That little moan that escaped when I first touched you was so hot." Damien kissed first one then the other shoulder blade. His tongue danced around in circles, leaving little sparks at its touch.
Robert had a sensitive body, and there was no doubt, he was reacting. He hadn't realized how much he had missed being touched. Too long, he had waited to find someone who would bring this side of him out. Damien's fingertips brushed against his sides, and Robert jumped. Laughter sounded from behind him.
"You're ticklish?" Damien snickered.
Robert stepped away, but Damien grabbed him by his hips and stopped him.
"You can't get away from me." Pushing Robert playfully onto the bed, Damien straddled him. He rested his cock in the cleft between Robert's ass cheeks. There was no mistaking Damien's excitement. His cock was hard and hot. Damn, Robert liked that.
With his knees wedged on either side of Robert, Damien ran his hands over the muscles in Robert's back. He massaged them and applied pressure as he went. Robert had mixed feelings as Damien gave him one of the best rubdowns he had ever had.
"I love touching your body," Damien said. "Relax and I'll let you flip over so I can rub on some other things."
Robert felt the tingle of excitement run through his body, straight to his cock. It was already alert and enjoying everything Damien was doing. The thought of Damien touching him there was more than he had wished for.
"Roll over," Damien whispered against his ear and kissed it tenderly.
Damien moved off his backside and Robert rolled to face him. He wanted to kiss Damien and hold him in his arms. Sure, he was ready to take this as far as Damien wanted to go, but he would not push Damien before he was ready.
"Stop thinking." Damien laughed at him. "You know, I can see it in your eyes and on your face. You are over analyzing this."
Damien ran his hands across Robert's chest and pinched his nipples.
Robert's cock jumped at the sensation. It jerked against Damien's ass and throbbed.
"You like this."
Damien lowered his mouth to one hard nub and suckled there while he continued to pinch Robert's other nipple. Robert bucked up into Damien, clearly enjoying the sensations. Damien's cock brushed against him again, and Robert rocked into him.
Damien focused on Robert's other nipple, taking his time, giving it the same attention. Robert's mind was lost in the electricity spreading through his body, and the thought of what they were doing. Or rather, what Damien was doing to him.
Damien blew across his wet nipple and gooseflesh popped out on Robert's arms. He was enjoying this so much, but he wanted to give, not just receive.
"When do I get to touch you?" Robert gasped out.
"Soon," Damien answered, and then said, "You are already touching me; my cock is so hard for you. If I let you physically touch me now, I'll explode."
Robert felt Damien's cock pressed against his stomach. It was hard and leaking. The moisture was making it easy for Damien to slide it against Robert.
"Rise up," Robert said, then waited for Damien to lift. He grabbed his own cock and pulled it forward. "Now back down."
Robert palmed both their cocks and used the liquid that had seeped from their slits to make them slide easier. As Robert pumped, Damien closed his eyes and leaned back against Robert's raised knees. His mouth dropped open but no sound escaped. Damien pushed his cock into Robert's hand harder. Robert twisted his wrist to add more friction. He was getting lost watching their cocks brushing together, and the look of ecstasy on Damien's face. The tension and stress of the world seemed to melt away, leaving him relaxed and looking younger.
Damien's hand closed around Robert's to move them faster. "More," Damien breathed. "Please."
Robert quickened his pace. His own release would not wait much longer, but he needed Damien to reach his peak first.
"Oh God," Damien yelled and opened his eyes. Staring at Robert, he screamed, "Fuck," and warm streams of come squirted from his slit. It landed on Robert's chest and dripped over their joined cocks and Robert's hand.
The sight of Damien coming undone pushed Robert over the edge. The orgasm that wracked his body with spasms of pleasure, seemed to go on forever. He groaned out, “Oh, fuck!” with the final spurt of his release.
Damien slumped against Robert's chest, nestling his head under Robert's chin. Their breaths were coming in heavy gasps and it took time for both of them to calm down. The drumming of Robert's heart matched the pounding of Damien's. They were in perfect rhythm with each other. Could Damien feel that too?
Eventually, they had to move. Drying come was not the sexiest experience in the world. Damien rolled onto his side of the bed. He was quiet, and Robert had no idea what was going through his head.
"Be right back," Robert said.
In the bathroom, Robert wet a hand towel, brought it back to the bed and wiped the sticky mess from Damien's body. Robert did the same for himself then tossed the towel on the floor. He lay beside Damien in the darkness, listening to him breathe.
He wasn't sure what to say or where they would go from this, but he knew he didn't want it to end. Damien was unlike any man he had ever known.
And, yes, sometimes he drove Robert completely insane. The sarcastic side he showed most of the world was hard for Robert to get along with. But the introspective man who needed someone when he was falling apart, now that was a man with whom Robert could fall in love.
Damien rolled to his side to face Robert before he spoke. "This was a...
mistake. I mean, we have nothing at all in common. We don't even like each other."
"What the hell?" This was not what Robert was expecting.
"Think about it, Robert," Damien said. "Did you really imagine this could be more than a onetime thing?"
Chapter Ten
Damien fell silent as Robert set up on the edge of the bed and stared at him in disbelief. He had to let Robert think there could never be more between them. It was wrong to pretend there could be. He fell back on the attitude he showed the world. The truth was, Damien had nothing to give someone like Robert Wyler. Robert was a kind and loyal man. He would make someone a great partner. Someone other than Damien.
"I don't know what to say." Robert pulled on his pants and stood in the middle of the bedroom his arms outstretched. "What happened here didn't mean shit to you?"
"That's not what I said." Damien felt sick as he spoke. "It was great. Best I've had in a while. But it's only sex."
Damien left the bed and was about to close the bathroom door when he looked back at Robert. He was buttoning his shirt and slipping his feet into his shoes. Hurt and anger radiated from his entire body. It crushed Damien to see that, but there was no sense in putting it off. Making a clean break would help the wound heal quicker.
"Robert, I'm sorry, but I need a shower and some sleep."
Robert's quiet dignity had escaped him. Rage filled his face, and he spat hateful words at Damien. "That's it, you self-righteous prick. I don't care who's after your ass or how much Marcus begs me, I'm done babysitting you. They can get someone else to take care of your sorry ass."
Robert slammed the bedroom door first, then the main door second. The walls in the hotel suite rattled and one painting fell to the floor, the glass shattering when it hit.
Damien stood where he was for a long time. His body shook violently, and for the first time in years, he felt hot tears sting his eyes. He'd had to do it.
Robert deserved someone who could give back. Damien had nothing left to give. Carter had ripped his soul out of him and shredded it into tiny pieces.
He had tried to
put his life back together, had tried to care again, but no one had broken the icy castle around Damien's heart. Not until now.
"He's gone?" Justin asked Marcus as Damien walked into the office the next morning.
"Yes." Marcus looked at Damien and frowned. "He said he couldn't help us anymore."
"That isn't like Robert. He's always willing to help when we ask. What could pull him away like that?"
"With the winter storm coming, he said he needed to check on his cabin and make sure things are in working order."
Damien realized that wasn't the truth, but he would not admit that he had caused Robert's sudden disappearance. If Robert hadn't told Justin and Marcus his true reason for leaving, then Damien certainly wouldn't
"I didn't need a babysitter." The angry words rushed out before Damien could stop them.
"What are you talking about?" Justin said.
"I don't need a babysitter, and the two of you need to stop thinking I do."
Damien huffed.
"No one ever said you needed a babysitter. We thought you shouldn't be alone, and Robert had been willing to help," Justin barked out. "Damien, what the hell did you do to him?"
"I didn't do a damn thing. He's an arrogant oaf, and I was tired of having him underfoot."
It wasn't quite noon, but Damien helped himself to a drink of whiskey from the sideboard bar. He drank every drop before he turned back to Marcus and Justin. "He's better off away from me."
Damien left the two of them staring after him and returned to his room, where he sat down and turned on his computer. There were several emails from Tony. Damien tackled them first. All of them were about the same thing. Wanting to know where he was. Asking when he was coming back.
Saying how much Tony missed him. There wasn't much work related information. Damien stopped opening them. He continued to go through the rest of his emails. He had finished the last of them when another email popped in from Tony. He nearly dropped his computer when he read the message.
Hi Damien. I thought you would like to know some guy came into the office this morning, looking for you. He wouldn't leave his name and he was angry that I couldn't tell him where you were. He was creepy. He said he had some private business with you and he'd find you anyway. I hope you are okay.
Tony.
There is no way in hell Carter would show his face at the newspaper office.
Someone would recognize him if he did. Or at least, Damien thought someone would. He answered Tony's email.
Thanks, Tony. Not sure who the guy was, but you be careful too. It was probably just some jerk I've written a piece on sometime. Nothing to worry about. I'm fine and I'll be back in the office soon. I'm following a lead for one of my stories. Please forward any of that research paperwork on the Houston story when you get it. See you soon.
After he hit send, Damien sat the computer aside and leaned back in the chair. He shut his eyes and thought of Robert. There was no point in doing it but he let himself remember last night, and how good it had felt to be held again. Robert was gone now, and by the time he returned to The Warfield, Damien would be back in Atlanta. His cell phone rang, drawing his attention.
" Hello, Damien."
The muffled voice on the line didn't even surprise him. Whoever the hell it was, Damien was tired of fearing every text message or email he received.
Now this guy had the balls to try and have a conversation with him. This was not going to happen.
"I don't know who you think you're dealing with, but I've had enough. I'm not afraid of you and I will not listen to anything you have to say. Stop texting and emailing me, too." Damien clicked off the line and smiled to himself. The phone rang again.
" Damien ." The voice was not muffled this time.
Fear gripped Damien like never before. Carter? "I said, I'm not afraid of you so you might as well crawl back under the rock you slithered out from.
Leave me the fuck alone!"
There was no way he would believe that it was Carter Preston on the phone.
It was some kind of sick trick. This wasn't happening. He couldn't accept it.
Damien couldn't tell anyone about this.
This time, Damien turned the cell phone off. He would not listen to this, not today. Not after he had pushed away the one person who might have been able to save him from himself. He had hurt someone who had only tried to help him. What had he done?
"I need to get back to Atlanta and get back to work," Damien said as he rose from the chair to pack his belongings.
His packing completed, he made his way downstairs to speak with Marcus and Justin. A man standing at the checkin desk was arguing with Peter about his reservation. No matter what Peter did, the man just kept getting louder and louder and more demanding.
Something about the balding figure seemed familiar to Damien. He was wearing a tropical shirt with tan slacks. He was rounder in the middle than
he was tall. His Southern drawl was a little more pronounced, making Damien think of someone from Mississippi or Alabama.
Peter looked up as Damien crossed the lobby, causing the loud man to turn and look as well. Damien froze.
Simon Clavis had put on some weight, but it was him. Damien was positive.
The bald head must have been covered by a hairpiece before. There was no doubt, it was Simon, and Simon recognized Damien.
"What is going on?" Justin asked as he entered the lobby from his office.
"Mr. Smith," Peter said, gesturing toward Clavis, "is insisting that he has a reservation; however, I cannot find one for him in the computer. I was trying to explain that we have a room available, but he is unhappy with the view from the room I suggested." Peter grimaced as he looked at Justin.
"Mr. Smith," Justin said as he offered his hand. "My brother and I are the managers of The Warfield and I'm sure we can—"
"What the hell are you doing here?" Simon yelled at Damien, ignoring Justin.
"I was about to ask you the same thing, Simon Clavis." Damien approached Simon. Seeing him again added to Damien's frustration level. "There aren't any poor children to rip off here!"
Damien grabbed the front of Simon's shirt and two buttons popped off. They flew across the lobby floor, pinging as they went. Marcus ran into the lobby and wrapped his arms around Damien's waist, pulling him away from Simon.
"Stop it, Marcus," Damien bellowed. "Let me punch this scumbag for every kid he ripped off."
"I'll sue!" Simon Clavis ranted as Peter pulled him away from Damien. His large, hairy stomach, exposed with the buttons missing from his shirt, shook.
"My lawyer will go after you for everything you have!"
"Stop it both of you," Justin shouted, and everyone looked in his direction.
"Let's take this into the office." He looked around the lobby and staircase. A crowd had gathered to see what all the yelling was about. "Peter," he added,
"stay here."
Peter nodded and went to speak to the guests standing around. He reassured them that everything was okay and they could go about their business.
In Justin's office, Damien took a seat in the corner, close to the bar. There was no doubt, he needed a drink after this confrontation. Justin offered Simon Clavis the seat facing the desk. Marcus sat in Justin's chair and faced Clavis.
"Mr. Clavis, would you mind telling me why you are visiting The Warfield?"
"It's none of your business," Simon said as he tugged his shirt together and held it. "Who's going to pay for this shirt? I can't go around like this." He growled when he looked across the room at Damien. Pointing a stubby finger at him, he said, "He's a maniac."
"Mr. Clavis," Marcus started again. "Why were you trying to check into the hotel under a false name?"
Clavis stopped staring at Damien and looked at Marcus. He tilted his head to the left and asked, "You a cop?"
"No."
"Well then, I don't have to answer any of your questions, but I can tell you, if I knew Fitzgerald was here, I never would ha
ve stopped." He rose as he spoke and walked toward the office door.
"Mr. Clavis, Damien Fitzgerald has been getting some threatening messages," Marcus stated. "Would you know anything about that?"
Simon Clavis looked over his shoulder at Marcus, and then turned to face Damien. He smiled, but it wasn't a pleasant smile. "I'd say good for whoever it is, because nothing would please me more than to see him dead. But I didn't do it."
Damien poured himself a drink and waited in Justin's office for some time before Marcus and Justin returned. They had chased after Simon Clavis as he left. Damien assumed Marcus would ask him more questions. Whether he got what he was looking for or not, Damien didn't care. Simon Clavis wasn't the man who had been leaving those messages. Clavis simply did not have the balls for it.
The door to the office opened and his two friends returned.
"He's not the one," Damien said as he recalled the recent phone call.
"Damien," the voice had said. It could have been Carter's voice.
Justin sat in a chair across from him, while Marcus stood to his left.
"We agree," Marcus answered. "He showed me his passport. He got back in the country two weeks ago."
"The calls could have come from anywhere, Marcus," Justin argued.
"True, but this isn't our guy. He's a coward who steals from children. He couldn't stalk anyone. It's way outside his mental capability. That takes planning and patience. He's not the one," Damien said.
Marcus left the office and Justin stared at Damien. He didn't like the look coming from his friend, and he didn't want to talk anymore about anything.
"We need Robert here. What happened between you and him? He wouldn't just leave without speaking to anyone. Unless something happened to upset him. When I left him in your room last night, he was fine," Justin said.
Damien knew Justin was only trying to help, whether he wanted it or not.
"It's none of your business. I don't owe you any explanations," Damien said as he stood.
"Damien, what is wrong with you?"
