Home and Away

by Ariel Tachna

  Linc looked around until he found the plates sitting on the counter. “Silverware?”

  “I usually eat the rice and chicken with paratha—it’s a kind of Indian bread—but I’m happy to get you a fork. Hold on a sec.”

  Linc didn’t know how he felt about eating with his hands, but he’d try anything once. “No, it’s okay, I’ll give it a try.” He carried the plates out and set them on the table—side by side since it was just the two of them. Kit came out a moment later with a steaming dish of rice. “Anything else I can help you carry?”

  “The chicken is on the counter. And I’ll get the paratha from the oven. I made it earlier, but I didn’t want it to get cold.”

  Linc grabbed the bowl of chicken and waited while Kit got the flat bread from the oven. “Did you make that too?”

  “Not from scratch. You can get the dough premade. Then you just cook it in a skillet when you’re ready to eat.”

  “Still, everything looks and smells fantastic.”

  Kit met Linc’s gaze and gave him a long, slow eye-fuck. “Yes, it certainly does.”

  Linc groaned again and wondered how fast they could eat dinner.

  Chapter Eleven

  KIT waited until Linc served himself, then filled his plate with the rice, chicken, and bread. Linc tore a piece off the bread and used it to pick up the curry. The bread was buttery and flaky, the rice more flavorful than any he’d ever tasted, and the chicken rich and spicy. “Damn, where you learn to cook like this?”

  “Mom taught us the basics, but most of what I cook comes from Uncle Blake,” Kit said as Linc took another bite. “He’s an amazing cook, and he insisted we learn. Phillip stopped at being able to cook basic meals, but I enjoy the process as much as the result, so I kept on learning. Phillip and Ephah will eat anything as long as they don’t have to make it, so I always have taste testers when I find a new recipe.”

  “If they ever aren’t around, I’m down with being your test subject,” Linc offered.

  Kit beamed at him. “I’d rather cook for you, any time you’re free.”

  “We have a game tomorrow night, and we leave on Friday for the Auburn game, but I’m free on Wednesday and Thursday.”

  An odd look crossed Kit’s face for a moment, but it cleared before Linc could ask about it. “Then you should definitely come over those evenings. Ephah won’t complain about switching nights with me so I can cook for you both nights. Any requests?”

  Linc shook his head. “I wouldna known to ask for this and it’s delicious, so I’ll let you pick. I eat pretty much anything, and I don’t have any allergies.”

  “Then I’ll come up with something interesting,” Kit promised.

  Linc finished his first serving and went back for seconds. “Have you ever thought about opening a restaurant?”

  Kit laughed. “No, I just use those same measuring skills at work. Biochemistry experiments are very finicky.”

  “Better you than me,” Linc said ruefully. “Science is clearly not my thing.”

  “What is your thing?” Kit asked. “I mean, basketball obviously, but you can’t major in basketball.”

  “I love history,” Linc replied. “You have all these pieces to fit together to get the big picture, but they never all fit perfectly because there’s always more than one perspective—the winners and the losers, if you will—so there’s room for interpretation. And even beyond that, there’s the pieces that are missing, so we have to use our best guesses to fill them in. And then people find new pieces, new evidence, and we get to see how those fit with our guesses and the evidence we already have, and sometimes it proves us right, and sometimes it turns everything we thought we knew upside down.” He flushed and looked away. “Sorry, I get carried away.”

  “Don’t apologize,” Kit said, squeezing Linc’s wrist with his clean hand. “I love hearing about other people’s passions, even ones I might not share. It helps me see things in a different light. When I think of history, I see nothing more than dry facts, but the way you explain it, it’s so much more than that.”

  Linc chuckled. “Kind of like the way you take physics and break it down in a way I understand.”

  “Exactly. Science is my passion, and when I talk about it, that comes through. If I still had a history class to take, I’d definitely get you to help me with it.”

  “Too bad we didn’t meet earlier,” Linc said. “I’d’ve enjoyed being able to help you in return.”

  Kit smirked at him. “Not to mention getting to do other things sooner.”

  A wave of heat curled up Linc’s spine, reminding him of Kit’s promise to make him forget his name. “That too.”

  “Fuck, I love your voice, and it gets deeper when you get turned on.”

  “You would know. I stay turned on around you.”

  Kit’s eyes darkened, sending another bolt of lust through Linc. “Let me just put the leftovers away so they don’t spoil, and we can get back to what we were doing earlier.”

  “Maybe with a little less clothing in the way?” Linc suggested as he stood to help carry the dishes back into the kitchen. He swore Kit added an extra sway to his walk just to tempt Linc. He set the bowls on the counter and copped a feel. Kit winked at him over his shoulder and bent to get a container out of a lower cabinet, ass in the air. Linc crowded up behind him, bending his knees until he could fit Kit’s backside in the cradle of his hips. “You’re determined to break me, aren’t you?”

  Kit straightened and ground back against Linc. “If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Isn’t that what they say?”

  Linc ran his hands over Kit’s chest, appreciating the lanky muscles. He wondered idly if Kit’s skin was smooth or covered in hair. If he was lucky, he might find out tonight. “You’ve got it all right.”

  “Leftovers,” Kit said around a moan. “Two minutes. Get comfortable on the couch, and I’ll be out in less than two minutes.”

  Linc almost stayed to see if he could distract Kit, but that would slow down getting to the couch and possibly getting naked, and he definitely didn’t want that. He dropped a kiss on the side of Kit’s neck and did as he was told.

  THE moment Linc was out of sight, Kit leaned his forehead against the cool metal of the refrigerator and took a deep breath. He’d known Linc would have away games. He just hadn’t let himself think about them.

  It’s only been a week, he chided himself. Way too soon to be this possessive.

  He pulled himself together, got the leftovers in containers and put away, and set the pots in the sink to soak for later. Right now, Linc was waiting for him, and Kit didn’t want to waste even a minute of their time alone on what-ifs and maybes.

  He sashayed out of the kitchen and across the living room to where Linc sat. “Now, where were we?” he purred as he dropped down onto Linc’s lap again.

  “Somewhere right about here,” Linc replied, running his hands over Kit’s back.

  “Close, but not quite right,” Kit said. “If I remember correctly, you had your hands on skin, not clothes.”

  Linc cocked an eyebrow at him. Kit reared back and stripped his sweater over his head. “Your turn.”

  Linc raised his arms and gave Kit a challenging grin. Well, if that was the way he wanted it…. Kit grabbed the hem of Linc’s shirt and lifted, revealing dark skin stretched over a sexy six-pack and buff chest with just the slightest hint of hair between his nipples and arrowing down below his belt. Kit’s mouth watered at the sight. “Lookin’ good there, babe.”

  “So do you.” Linc flicked one of Kit’s nipples with the tip of his finger. Kit arched his back and gasped, so Linc did it again.

  Kit spread his legs wider so he could settle fully into Linc’s lap. Linc let out a hoarse moan that went straight to Kit’s cock. The constriction from his pants had passed uncomfortable and was heading into painful, and Linc had mentioned fewer clothes in the kitchen, so Kit unbuckled his belt, popped the button, and pulled the zipper down, easing the pressure.

  Linc licked
his lips. “Don’t stop on my account.”

  Feeling bold, Kit lifted up to wriggle his boxers down over his hips, just enough that his erection sprang free. Before he settled back onto Linc’s lap, he worked Linc free of his pants as well. He started to sink back down, but Linc caught his hips, supporting his weight, as he leaned forward and sucked a nipple into his mouth. “Oh fuck!” Kit cried.

  Linc chuckled, his breath puffing across Kit’s damp skin and raising goose bumps. “Do that again,” Kit begged.

  “You’re sensitive.” Kit flushed at Linc’s comment and started to pull back. “No, I like it,” Linc said, keeping Kit in place with one big hand against Kit’s spine. “I want to make you feel good.”

  “You are,” Kit assured him. “What about you? What do you like?”

  Linc brought one of Kit’s hands to his chest. “Just touch me. Anywhere, any way you want.”

  Kit kneaded the thick muscles of Linc’s chest and arms, reveling in their strength. How many times had he seen closeups of Linc as he shot a free throw, the camera zooming in on his arms? And now he had the right to touch. He dropped back down into Linc’s lap, desperately seeking his mouth for a kiss. Linc cradled Kit’s jaw with one hand as he returned Kit’s ardor. With his other hand, Linc reached between them and caught both their cocks in a firm grip. Kit groaned into the kiss, trying not to come on the spot. It had been months since he’d dated someone seriously enough to get this far. To have it now with Linc… it’d be a miracle if he lasted more than thirty seconds.

  Linc jacked them off slowly, but he brushed his thumb over the sensitive head with every pass, sending shivers through Kit. He panted against Linc’s mouth, trying to maintain the kiss and his sanity and….

  The sudden spill of hot fluid down his cock tipped him over the edge with the realization that Linc was as desperate for him as he was for Linc. He dropped his head against Linc’s shoulder as his orgasm spiraled through him.

  Linc stilled his hand but didn’t release his hold, the continued contact filling Kit with warmth. He nuzzled Linc’s neck. “How is a quick hand job with you better than most of the sex I’ve had in my entire life?” he asked.

  Linc shrugged, the movement jostling Kit enough that he sat up so he could stare into Linc’s eyes. The satiation he saw there matched his own.

  “I could ask you the same thing,” Linc replied, looking around for somewhere to wipe his hand. Kit grabbed a box of tissues off a nearby table and passed them over. “And we didn’t even get all the way naked. Next time will be even better.”

  The thought of next time—the promise that there would be a next time—eased some of Kit’s concerns. Yes, Linc had to travel for some games, but he had to come back. He had classes and exams, and now he had Kit, or at least sex with Kit. It wasn’t a promise of forever, but life had taught him the hard way that even promises of forever could be broken.

  “Don’t tell Phillip,” Kit said. “Let him imagine us rolling around naked and sweaty on the couch. It’ll be good for him.”

  Linc laughed. “You two have an interesting relationship.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you’re eleven months apart and in the same grade at school. We’ve done everything together since I started walking. He’s my best friend, my staunchest ally, and the biggest thorn in my side, all in one. Pretty much the only thing we don’t share is being bi. He’s definitely a ladies-only man.”

  “I really do want to get to know him,” Linc said. “I appreciate the privacy tonight, but I don’t want to always run him off.”

  “At some point you have to come to Sunday dinner,” Kit said. “When you have a Saturday game in town or a weekend with no game at all. Everyone wants to meet you. Uncle Blake won’t let anyone be too obnoxious.”

  “I’d like that,” Linc said. “I’ll double-check the game schedule and let you know later this week, if that’s okay?”

  “That’s fine.” It was perfect. Linc wanted to meet his family, and he wasn’t trying to put it off until after basketball season or anything like that.

  On the coffee table behind him, Kit’s phone buzzed. He grimaced but pulled away from Linc to see what it was.

  Leaving the restaurant now. Home in fifteen minutes. Don’t be naked.

  Kit huffed and slumped back on the couch. “We should get cleaned up and presentable. Phillip says they’ll be home in fifteen minutes.”

  Linc smiled and kissed Kit one more time. “They gave us three hours to ourselves, and they warned us before they came back. Give them credit for that.”

  “Oh, I am,” Kit said. “I just wish it were longer.”

  “Any chance of them going out of town?” Linc asked.

  Kit pursed his lips, considering. “Not that I know of, but I think Uncle Thane said he was going with Uncle Blake to some educators’ conference in March. I’ll find out when it is. If it’s not during tournament time, we could spend a night or the weekend there.”

  “If I’m in town, it’s a date.”

  “Bathroom’s down the hall on the left if you want to clean up,” Kit said as he straightened his pants. Linc had taken the brunt of the mess in his hand. Kit would leave the rest for now. He liked the idea of going to sleep with Linc’s scent on his skin.

  “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”

  Kit stared unabashedly as Linc walked down the hall with his pants loose around the waist, giving Kit a glimpse of the top of his ass. When he knew they wouldn’t be interrupted, he was going to get to peel Linc out of his clothes and get his mouth all over that sinful curve. They just had to find a time to make that happen.

  Chapter Twelve

  LINC came off the court after the Georgia State game to find the expected crowd of reporters waiting for the team. He hung back, hoping to keep the focus on the game and the team’s victory, not on him and his love life—although the thought made him smile even more widely. Hopefully anyone who saw it would think he was happy about the win, not remembering last night with Kit.

  Pete and Jayden got a lot of well-deserved attention as the high scorers in the game. Linc edged along the wall, the locker room in sight, when a reporter stuck a microphone in his face. Linc turned politely and hoped for a question about the game.

  “Chris Jones, Washington Post. Great game, Lincoln.”

  “Thanks,” Linc said. “It was a team effort.”

  “Pictures of you showed up over the weekend kissing a new man. Anything you can tell us about him?”

  Even expecting it, the question raised Linc’s hackles, but he kept his expression pleasant. “Yes, I’ve met someone. Kit’s really smart, amazingly funny, and far too good for me, but it’s still early days, and that’s all I’m willing to say. Besides, we’re here to talk about the game, not about my personal life.”

  Jones looked like he wanted to insist, but Jayden came to his rescue, appearing by his side as if summoned. “Great game, Jay,” Linc said. “Have you met Mr. Jones from the Washington Post?”

  Jayden shook Jones’s hand, giving Linc the chance to slip away.

  That had gone reasonably well. He’d said what he wanted to say, and his team had his back as always without making it obvious what they were doing. He ducked into the locker room, grabbed his phone, and texted Kit. He’d seen Kit at the game, but they’d decided not to try to meet up afterward.

  No details given. See you at dinner tomorrow.

  Pete followed him a moment later. “You, me, my dorm room in an hour.”

  Linc looked up from the phone, surprised at the tone of Pete’s voice. He wasn’t usually quite so brusque. “What?”

  “I want to talk to you. Meet me in my room in an hour.” It was just the two of them in the locker room at the moment. The others must’ve still been out with the press.

  “Did something happen?” Linc had slipped away as fast as possible, not wanting to talk to the press about Kit. Had someone said something after he left? That might explain Pete’s attitude, although even then, he would’ve expe
cted Pete to come out with it right there. It wasn’t like they kept secrets from the rest of the team.

  “I don’t know. You tell me.”

  Linc huffed. “What’s with the cryptic shit, Pete?”

  “My room, one hour,” Pete repeated and threw his towel over his shoulder as he headed toward the shower. Linc banged his head against the locker. Way to harsh my buzz, asshole.

  Whatever bug Pete had up his ass, Linc couldn’t do anything about it now. He’d grab a quick shower so he’d have time to get a drink from somewhere before heading back to the dorm. Hopefully without running into the press again.

  A little less than an hour later, Linc rapped on Pete’s door. Pete shouted at him to come in, so he pushed the door open with his hip and handed Pete the vanilla bean latte he’d picked up at the same time as his own white hot chocolate. “What’s the deal, Pete? Why you all up in my business?”

  “Pretty sure I should be asking you what up. You disappear the moment practice or games are over; you grin anytime you think no one is watching. I’ve known you for four years, and I ain’t never seen you like this, even when you’re getting laid on the regular.”

  Linc saw it now, the concern beneath Pete’s pushiness. He should have known that’s what was motivating Pete.

  “It’s not like that,” Linc said immediately, because while everything Pete said was true, Linc didn’t want him getting the wrong idea about his relationship with Kit. He took a seat on the desk chair.

  “Then what is it like?” Pete asked. “Explain it to me.”

  Linc leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “All my life, I’ve been one of a crowd. A bunch of kids, a basketball team, something. And I love that, I do, but it would be nice every once in a while to just be me, not one of the Joyner kids, not part of a team, not another hand on the farm, not somebody’s meal ticket. Just me.”

  “You know we don’t see you that way,” Pete said.

  “I know, but it’s….” He sighed, struggling to find the words. “I’ve hardly dated since I got to Lexington because most of the offers I get, it’s somebody looking to score a UK basketball player. I don’t want to be a notch in someone’s bedpost. I want someone who wants me.”