Crashing Hearts- The Complete Series

by Zane Menzy

“You have to use the magic word.”

  “Which is?”

  Garth scratched his chin, thinking up an answer. “Cactus balls.”

  “Cactus balls? That’s two words.”

  “Not if you say it fast enough.”

  “I guess I won’t forget it in a hurry.”

  “I think you’re clean enough now,” Garth said, changing the topic suddenly. “Turn the shower off so I can dry you.”

  Keegan liked the idea of being towelled down but he didn’t like the idea of his father snapping them out. “What about my dad? What if he walks in?”

  “Settle down. I checked before coming in. He’s on the phone to someone about having them round for dinner tonight.”

  “Who?”

  “I dunno. Maybe it’s your former lover,” Garth said, wagging his head.

  “Huh?”

  “Damon. That old guy you fucked?”

  “Damon isn’t old,” Keegan said defensively. “He’s actually quite hot.”

  “Ouch,” Garth said, rubbing his arm. “I might need some ice for that burn you just gave me.”

  “You brought him up, not me.”

  “True.” Garth chuckled, warm and breathily. “Does he have a bigger cock than me?”

  Keegan flinched. Where the fuck did that question come from? “Umm no,” he lied. “You’re about the same size.”

  “Cool,” Garth sighed. “Was he a better fuck than me?”

  “Okay, someone is beginning to sound a tad insecure.”

  “I’m not insecure,” Garth insisted. “I just wanna know who you enjoyed more. Me or the pensioner with saggy grey balls.”

  Keegan held in a laugh. “For starters, Damon doesn’t have grey saggy balls. And also, I can’t really compare you both. You know... considering you haven’t let me fuck you yet.”

  “Well played, Mr Andrews. Turning it around to try and get what you want.”

  “How about you turn around and give me what I want then.”

  Garth smiled like something had just clicked into place. “You really want to fuck me, don’t you?”

  “Like you wouldn’t believe,” Keegan said in a growly tone. He switched the water off and stepped out of the shower.

  Garth grabbed a towel from the rail. He stepped over, dropping to his knees and began to dry Keegan off starting at his feet. “So how would you feel about me fucking you instead?” Garth glanced up with a hopeful look.

  “I’d rather do you.”

  Garth dabbed the towel up Keegan’s legs. “Why does it have to be me taking it?” He wrapped the towel over Keegan’s cock, then tucked it under and gently dried his balls. “Your cock is fucking huge. At least I’d be a more comfortable fit.”

  “I would rather be the one in control.”

  “Is that what you call it?” Garth flicked him a smile as he got to his feet, placing the towel to Keegan’s chest.

  “You’re the one with a cute arse,” Keegan said in smarmy fashion. “You were born to be a bottom.”

  The corner of Garth’s mouth drew up, he reached around grabbing Keegan’s bum cheek. “You have a pretty nice arse too, though.”

  Keegan looked at him defiantly, shaking his head.

  Garth grabbed Keegan’s hips, grinding their crotches together. “It sounds like I don’t have much choice in the matter,” he whispered sexily.

  “I’m afraid not.”

  “I guess you better be nice to me in town tonight. No sneaking peaks at other men.”

  Keegan’s heart skipped a beat. “Is that a yes?”

  Garth rolled his eyes back, toying with the question. He lifted Keegan’s knuckles to his lips for a caring kiss. “Yes, blondie. That’s a yes.”

  Keegan smiled. Sometime tonight, his darkness could finally come out to play.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Damon smoothed his sweaty palms down the legs of his pants as he stood on the front porch of Matt’s house. He had been standing there for well over a minute, waiting for the courage to knock on the door.

  You come here all the time. Don’t be such a fucking pussy.

  Damon couldn’t work out why he was so nervous or why he was clutching a bottle of expensive red wine under his arm. He didn’t even drink the stuff but it felt more appropriate for some crazy reason than his usual alcoholic poisons of choice.

  Damon was decked out in some of his finest threads. Clothes he usually reserved for trendy functions he attended as part of his photo exhibitions. The meticulous presentation hadn’t stopped there; he had even shaved and showered before coming around, dabbing his neck and wrists with his most expensive cologne.

  I only ever go to this much bloody trouble for a date!

  Is that what this was? A date?

  The only thing he knew for sure was that waking up and finding Matt gone had left him jilted. Driving all the way out here was insane but Matt had left Damon’s heart feeling tethered and chained. He wanted more of Matt, if Matt would have him. His mate’s vanishing act was a confidence killer. Damon had never had a lover get up and leave like that. It pissed him off as much as it worried him.

  “Bloody hell,” Damon muttered under his breath. I’m a fucking catch, Matthew Andrews! You couldn’t get enough of me twenty years ago. Damon shook his head, trying to dislodge his insecurities about feeling unwanted. This was not an emotion he was accustomed to at all. He always got what he wanted and who he wanted.

  Finally, he cleared his throat, raising his curled-up hand and knocked on the door. No one approached. The only noise piercing the early evening sky was the song of cicadas screeching like fingernails down a blackboard.

  Damon turned on the balls of his feet, looking around, admiring the pristine yard. All the houses and gardens along here were well-kept though. It was Beaumont boulevard. The best street in Port Jackson. Damon had grown up in a waterfront home only four blocks down the road. He had a lot of good memories from his time growing up in the affluent seaside suburb, but not enough to ever want to live here again.

  Click. The door swung open, catching Damon by surprise. He spun back ‘round and saw Jason standing there.

  “Jason,” Damon spluttered.

  “The one and only.” Jason clicked his fingers.

  “Sorry I didn’t know you were here. If you and Matty are busy I can come back another—”

  “Fooey. Don’t be so silly. Come in. We’re making Matt dinner to say thank you for all his help with the wedding”

  We? Damon wanted to bolt but before he could step away, Jason grabbed him by the hand and dragged him inside. “Come on. There will be plenty for everyone.” Jason said, letting go of Damon’s hand.

  “Oh nice,” Damon mumbled. He wasn’t hungry for food. He was hungry to be alone with Matt. When they walked into the lounge, Damon saw who the we were. Will Jenkins. Jason’s fiancé. Damon hadn’t seen Will since the 90s. He was the older brother of Todd—Damon’s best mate before Matt. Damon and the younger Jenkins brother had been tight until Todd had become obsessed with Jenna in a school boy crush that turned psycho, damaging their friendship beyond repair.

  “Look who I found outside,” Jason said. He waved his hands like a magician’s assistant, motioning towards Damon who stood there with a feeble smile.

  Will stood up and strolled across, shaking Damon’s hand with warm enthusiasm. “Wow. It’s good to see you, Damon.”

  “Same,” Damon replied, he smiled at the friendly Will who still had that unmistakable Jenkins family blond hair, albeit a little thinner. “How’s your mum and dad doing?”

  “They’re good.” Will grinned. “Considering their son is about to marry another man.”

  “I can only imagine.” Damon chuckled. “Congratulations by the way.”

  “Thanks, man.” Will darted a look across at Jason who was nestled in one of the lounge chairs, watching the two catch up. “But you’ve seen who it is I am getting hitched too, right? Wishing me luck may be more appropriate.” Will laughed at his own joke.

 
; “Pfft.” Jason rolled his eyes. “William Jenkins, you will have sore knees for the rest of your life because of me.”

  Will’s face became flustered by the comment, “I don’t know if that’s appropriate talk in front of others.”

  Jason screwed his face up. “What? No, not sex, fool. I mean sore knees from being on the ground praising the lord for being so lucky to have me.”

  “Oh right,” Will said, tugging at the collar of his shirt like the room had nearly became too hot for a prude. He cast his eyes back at Damon. “I can’t believe it. You still look the same. I Wish I knew your secret.”

  Damon ran a hand through his hair. He loved running into people from days gone by, they all paid him this compliment. Not everyone had stayed quite so young or so in-shape as he had. “Thank you. Jenna passed on some good genes.” Not to mention my rigorous gym routine and an unhealthy fixation on moisturising day and night.

  “Or maybe it’s the blood of virgins you go around collecting,” Jason snickered.

  Damon shot him a questioning look. “I can’t say that I have resorted to such tactics just yet.”

  Jason sent back a smug smile that looked almost rude in its intent.

  Damon returned his attention to Will. “Where’s Matty?”

  “Here,” said Matt’s voice.

  Damon twirled ‘round and saw Matt walking in from the hallway, wearing a baggy jersey and blue shorts. Damon gave him the biggest smile he could muster. “Hey, man.”

  “Hi…,” Matt’s voice drawled at an uncomfortable pace.

  “Sorry for just turning up, I didn’t know you had plans.” Damon raised the bottle of wine in his hand. “Thought it would be a good night for a drink.”

  “Oh, sure,” Matt mumbled. His face tinged ever so slightly red.

  “I can come back another time. It’s no problem.”

  “I’ve already told Damon there is more than enough for all of us. The more the merrier.” Jason got up from his seat and crossed the room towards Damon. “Let’s open this baby up. I don’t know about youse but I fancy myself a wine.”

  Damon reluctantly handed the bottle across to the presumptuous Jason. He had wanted to save the expensive bottle to share alone with Matt.

  “I’ll go find us some glasses,” Jason said, disappearing into the kitchen like he owned the place. Will followed quickly behind his fiancé, saying he was checking on the dinner cooking.

  Damon made sure they were out of sight before he spoke. “You disappeared this morning.”

  “Uh, yeah.” Matt looked nervous. “I had heaps to do today with helping Jason with the wedding.” His eyes looked around the room like they were scared to meet Damon’s face.

  “Did you want me to go?” Damon asked, sounding wounded.

  “No. God no,” Matt answered quickly. “You can stay for dinner.”

  “I can come back another day. I don’t mind. You don’t get to see these guys much.” He went to step past Matt and leave.

  Matt clutched Damon’s tanned arm. “Don’t go. I want you to stay.”

  “Only if you’re sure?”

  “I am sure. Please stay.” Matt’s blue eyes shone convincingly as he still held on to Damon’s arm.

  “I had fun last night,” Damon said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure there was nobody prying.

  “Me too,” Matt whispered.

  The sound of clinking glasses began to rattle behind them, Matt quickly let go of his arm. They shot their attention to the dining room and saw Jason holding three wine glasses. “Okay, bitches. Who wants one.”

  Matt laughed. “Yes please.”

  “And me.” Damon nodded.

  “Did you wanna drink in here or at the dining table so we can make fun of my husband-to-be as he tries not to burn your house down while cooking?”

  “I heard that,” called Will’s voice. “And don’t worry, Matt, I know what I’m doing.”

  “I trust you Will,” Matt called back. He gave Damon a thoughtful glance. “Dining room?”

  “Sure.” Damon followed Matt and Jason into the dining room where they sat at a large oblong table. Jason poured them each a drink and took a seat at the end closest to the kitchen—bitching distance to Will—while Damon sat right beside Matt at the other end like a loyal dog. “Where’s Keegan tonight?” Damon asked.

  “He’s in town with his friend Garth,” Matt said.

  Damon mulled over the name Garth. It had a familiarity to it, but he couldn’t summon the face. “It’s good that he is out having fun.” Damon took a sip of the wine. “He probably needs to go out and get his mind off everything.” As soon as Damon said it he wished he could rewind time and shut his mouth.

  “What do you mean get his mind off everything.” Matt frowned. “What’s he got to get his mind off?”

  Damon hesitated. “I mean it’s good for him to get out of the house and go out and be with real people. Not stuck inside on a computer, playing games.”

  “I guess.” Matt swished the wine around in his glass, a pondering look on his face. “But to be fair he hasn’t been on a computer the whole time he’s been here.”

  “That seems weird for, K dog. He usually lives on the bloody things.” Damon’s chest tightened. He knew the reason why Keegan wouldn’t have been anywhere near a computer.

  Jason leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. “You know Keegan quite well, do you?” The question was asked politely but felt loaded with other emotions.

  Matt answered for Damon, “Yeah, Damon knows him better than me. Isn’t that bad of me?”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” Damon fended.

  “I would. You and Keegan are really close.” Matt let out a soft laugh. “I get a bit jealous.”

  “Interesting,” Jason purred.

  “He’s here now though, isn’t he?” Damon said, patting Matt on the back. “You can get to know him as well as you like.”

  “That’s true,” Matt mumbled, quickly downing a mouthful of wine.

  “Not trying to stir up Matty’s misery, but is it safe to say you’re sort of like a father figure to Keegan?” Jason eyes twinkled at Damon mischievously.

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” Damon retorted.

  “Nar, you probably are,” Matt conceded. “I was never there like I should have been, but you always were.” Matt smiled, nodding towards Jason. “Damon has been super awesome with standing in where I couldn’t.”

  “True.” Jason nibbled on his lip. “It’s good someone was there to fill the gap.”

  Damon found Jason’s wording curious but chose to ignore it.

  “Parents friends are the best,” Jason said. “Growing up, I was very close to my mother’s best friend, Mihi.” He giggled to himself. “I used to tell her all my antics and secrets.”

  “If you were telling her the same things you used to tell me,” Matt said, “then I hope she never told your mother what you were up to.”

  Jason laughed. “Yeah. I was quite naughty back then. Dressing up as a woman and going off to meet strange men off the dating lines.”

  “Oi. I was one of those strange men you met, remember?” Will blurted from the kitchen.

  Jason twirled around in his chair, laughing. “Sorry, honey. You were my favourite of the strange… and the strangest.”

  “Aww, thank you.” Will blew him a kiss then dropped his face, concentrating on what he was cooking.

  Jason turned back to face Matt and Damon “Yep. I was definitely up to a lot of no good. Meeting up with people I shouldn’t.” He lowered his voice to a throaty whisper “Doing things that probably weren’t good for me.”

  Damon’s tummy turned. He smiled at Jason and said, “We learn good things from our mistakes though, don’t we?”

  “Sometimes. But I do wonder if some of the men I was with back then were old enough to know better and not help me make those sorts of mistakes.”

  “Crikey. Don’t go getting all Oprah Winfrey on me, Jason,” Matt teased.

  “My
bad.” Jason glanced over at Damon. “So, Damon. Does Keegan confide in you like I used to with my mum’s best friend?”

  “Sorry to disappoint, but I can’t say he does.”

  “Pity,” Jason said, smiling. “Would have been one hell of a party to watch Matty freak out hearing about Keegan’s sex life.”

  Matt placed his hands to his ears. “I don’t want to hear about my son’s sex life. That’s if he even has one.” He lowered his hands and began to laugh. “And I’m so glad you’re here, Jason. I can always rely on you to lower the tone.”

  “That’s what I do; lower tones.” Jason sighed thoughtfully, discretely locking his honey-brown eyes on Damon. “Better to lower tones than cross lines we shouldn’t.”

  Damon held in a snarl. The skinny little cunt knew something. Something he fucking shouldn’t. Damon kept his cool, politely smiling back and answered, “That’s right. We have to be careful not to trip over other’s lines.”

  ∞

  The dinner Will served up was superb. A chicken dish he had flavoured with a sweet Mango sauce. It wasn’t the usual taste Damon liked but it had gone down a treat and the bonus of food being on the table was that it meant it kept Jason’s big mouth full.

  Luckily, Matt’s camp guest didn’t mention anything else about what he may or may not know. It was moments like these Damon was glad for Jenna being his mother. She had taught him to never lose your cool, remain charming and smile through the poison being thrown at you. Damon didn’t do it with quite the same level of finesse as his mother managed, but he had enough skill to avoid any more dangerous dancing around the topic of Keegan.

  After they had polished off a second bottle of wine following dinner, Jason and Will declared that they were heading home. Home being Jason’s mother’s house where they were staying. Once friendly handshakes and goodbyes were exchanged at the door, Damon and Matt were finally alone. It was a little after ten o’clock so he knew that he would have plenty of time to enjoy Matt’s company undisturbed.

  When they wandered back into the lounge Matt asked if Damon fancied another drink.

  “I wouldn’t say no.” Damon plonked his butt down on the couch and stretched his legs out. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt and flicked his shoes off. He lay back into the couch wanting to look sexually appealing to relax with.