Tai had given Beach a piece of himself he didn’t know was missing. Made him not only complete, but more. It wasn’t only the moments when Beach gave everything he was over to Tai to hold. It was that Tai had held all of him and wanted to again. That was so much more than love.
“Mazel tov. Have you set a date?”
Gavin caught Beach’s arm. “I’m trying here, Beach. Is this BDSM all you do?”
“Jesus, Gavin, you sound like your father. And for the record, it’s mostly the D and the s parts. But we also talk and we eat and we watch TV and go for walks—”
Gavin choked and let go of Beach’s arm. “For walks? You go for walks?”
“He has a dog. So, what do you do with Jamie when your cocks aren’t hard? You ride along on cop stuff?”
“We… hang out. With his friends.”
“Did you really say ‘hang out’?” Though the with friends part went a long way toward explaining why Beach had seen so little of Gavin lately.
Gavin shrugged. “We went to the movies.”
“We’re going next week,” Beach threw out. “See? No leather or whips involved.”
“What are you going to see?” Gavin’s eyes narrowed.
“We haven’t decided yet.” Blithe conviction was the key to a successful lie.
“I’ll find out when Jamie’s working. We can go together.”
“Absolutely. It’s a date.”
Chapter Twenty-One
DESPITE BEING the sort of bastard who spied in bathrooms, Gavin would never be so ungenerous a host as to make people walk to their cars, a gallantry for which Beach was profoundly grateful as he made his way to the front of the manor. As the valet went to get his Spider, Beach took stock. He was three-quarters of a million poorer, but for good reason. He was in possession of the rights to a rose cultivar for Tai’s daughter, a no longer intriguingly erotic ball of steel in his ass, and what he was pretty sure was his first case of sub drop in weeks. And without the comfort of a mind-blowing orgasm to soften the blow.
The man who crawled into the molded, Daytona-style seat behind the wheel of the Ferrari wasn’t the one who’d swiveled out of it with a gleam in his eye a few hours earlier. He handed a fifty to the valet and managed to get to the end of the drive before the shakes and nausea got so bad he had to pull off on the side of the road.
The things he’d come to rely on at moments like this—orange juice, Tai, a safe place to crash, and Tai—weren’t easily found in the dashboard of Beach’s Spider, despite his having the full range of upgraded options. Beach shivered under the hot afternoon sun, his nuts drawn up so tight and small they were trying to crawl back into his body. A spasm knotted his guts, and he popped open the door, hunched over to heave, but only managed a pathetic shot of spit.
You really have your shit together, Beach. He drew himself back up into the driver’s seat and punched the radio dials. He needed to get out of here, find something to distract his brain enough to—crawl to Tai and tell him you couldn’t manage an afternoon alone with your oldest friend? Who the fuck are you? Maybe Gavin was right. Beach wasn’t himself.
He tuned the satellite radio to an aggressively cheerful pop station, cranked the volume, and put the car in gear.
He pulled off the verge, tapping the wheel in time to the beat. As he glanced in his mirror, he realized he didn’t have his seat belt on. For some reason, buckling his seat belt seemed like the height of responsibility at that moment. If he could buckle his seat belt, he’d prove capable of handling everything else. A simple action he’d performed thousands of times, and under far greater impairment than some damned endorphin crash.
Fuck. His hands were shaking. Stupid. Irrational. He could do this. It was just a goddamned seat belt. A simple buckle in a latch. A two-year-old could do it. So a thirty-four-year-old man damned well ought to be able.
He glanced down at his hip, fumbled, and finally shoved the tongue into the latch when a horn blared over the peppy chorus.
He jerked his gaze back to the road.
A gigantic black SUV loomed over him, barreling down. He yanked the wheel, went off the road, overcorrected, and crossed behind the SUV, plowing deep into thick brush. The belt burned against his neck, but at twenty-five miles an hour, he hadn’t hit anything with force enough to set off the airbags. What hurt most was his heart, hammering high and sharp into his sternum. He put a hand over it to make sure it was still inside.
Through the adrenaline-spiked panic of swerves and squealing brakes, the fear that had reached deepest into Beach wasn’t for his own safety, nor that an accident could revoke his probation. But God, he’d looked into that windshield and seen two frightened people and a curly-haired toddler in a car seat, and oh shit, he really was going to throw up now.
But he didn’t. Assuming he could get the Spider back on the road, which didn’t seem likely, he was obviously in no shape to drive.
He pulled out his phone. There were other people he could call. Gavin, less than a mile away. Ruben, down in Riviera Beach. A tow truck. But he was going to need to explain this to Tai sooner or later, and for once, Beach picked sooner.
When Tai picked up, Beach strove for a casual tone, though his heart was still hammering in his ears.
“Hi, I’m sorry about the unscheduled call, but—”
“What happened? Are you okay?”
The sudden concern that softened Tai’s voice almost sent Beach over the edge into babbling. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop the flow of words.
“I’m fine.”
“David, skip the bullshit and tell me. I can hear it in your voice. No hiding, no running, remember?”
“Yes, Sir.” So much easier like this. No worrying about whether he should be able to handle it alone. Surrender.
“I wasn’t feeling good when I left the party. I pulled off and waited until it passed—”
“Just tell me where you are and what you need.” Tai’s voice dropped to the purring rumble Beach loved to feel against his back.
He took a deep breath. “The GPS says 2799 Holly Neck Road in Essex. And I think I need a tow truck.”
A THIRTY-MINUTE drive was a long time to discover exactly how deep into a pit of guilt Tai could dive. He should have brought David off. Had him take out the plug. Then he wouldn’t have been distracted while driving, wouldn’t have run himself off the road. Obviously a twenty-four-seven D/s relationship had way more potential for disaster than Nic could hand-wave into unimportance.
As Tai slowed at the scene, he saw flares and lights flashing from an unmarked cop car.
A uniform was talking with David as he leaned against the Spider, but it wasn’t the usual county uniform. His windbreaker said Harbor Police.
Tai pulled off behind the cop car, turning on his hazards, and ordered Jez to stay as he climbed out. He couldn’t override a cop with his badge, but it might help make sure David didn’t get caught up in proving he wasn’t violating probation. David was lucky he’d already cleaned up his tickets.
Approaching, Tai said, “Tow truck is already on the way.”
The cop had bright red hair and a pissant attitude to match. “Yeah. And you would be?”
“Officer Fonoti, Department of Corrections. Reaching for my badge.” Tai pulled the shield out and offered it to the cop, who gave it a glance before he snorted.
“You called your probation officer?” That disgusted sneer was aimed at David.
David opened his mouth but only ran his tongue over his teeth, glancing helplessly at Tai and then back to the cop. “Not exactly,” David said finally. “This is Officer Donnigan.” He made the introduction like he was still at his garden party.
Tai fell back on acting like a probation officer. “Any property damage, Officer?”
“Other than to his piece of Eurotrash here?” Donnigan jerked his chin toward the Ferrari. “Nope. Ran over some saplings. There’s a preserve that way.” He jerked his thumb behind him. “But this much belongs to the county.”
&
nbsp; “Who called you?” Tai asked.
“And how the fuck is that your business?” Donnigan tipped his cap back to glare up at Tai.
David started to explain, “Officer Donnigan has a friend in the area, and he was just—”
“And what are you trying to pull with that, asshole?” Donnigan’s aggressive attention shifted back to David. “You think you can make me clear up your shit for your PO?”
Tai had his body between David and Donnigan faster than a thought. When Tai went on a warrant with a cop, they were on the same side, disgusted by the assholes who thought the rules didn’t apply to them. Now he was protecting David—his boy—against a bully with a badge.
David tapped Tai’s shoulder, three deliberate taps. “Officer Donnigan and I are previously acquainted.”
Tai brought his red alert back to amber but didn’t move out of the way. An engine sounded from the road, wrong direction and too low in decibels for the tow truck.
A familiar sleek black car rounded the corner. Donnigan threw up his hands in disgust and pointed behind Tai’s car. “Fucking party now. You happy, Beach?” He stomped off toward the new arrival.
David put a hand on Tai’s arm. “Jamie is Gavin’s boyfriend. He was on his way to Gavin’s, and he stopped to see what had happened.”
The scene made a lot more sense with that bit of information. “Then why was he being such a dick to you?”
“In Jamie’s defense, he’s a dick to everyone.”
“Not much of a defense.”
David pulled Tai to face him. “I didn’t know what to say when you showed your badge. I don’t want you to get into trouble.”
Tai reared back. “Is he that much of a dick?”
“No. At least I don’t think he is. Anyway, you aren’t my PO, and Jamie doesn’t have a lot of stones to throw, considering how he and Gavin met.”
Gavin and Donnigan came into view, the swagger of the cop making Tai want to punch him in the face.
“You’re Beach’s probation officer?” Gavin asked, eyes narrowed. “I don’t think I knew that when we met outside the hospital.”
“Because it’s not true.” David straightened from his lean. “Tai is not my probation officer. My probation officer’s name is DiBlasi.”
“Same office, though?” Donnigan’s insinuating tone had Tai’s fingers curling into a fist.
“Tell us again how you and Gavin met?” David stepped forward.
“Sure. Since Fonoti isn’t your PO, he probably doesn’t have the details. That would be the night you slipped liquid X into Gavin’s drink, and after driving while you were both high, you decided to stop and take a swim in the bay—while you were on top of the fucking Key Bridge.”
David’s smile was brittle, though his tone was lazy, heavy on the accent. “I’m sure you’d know plenty about those sudden urges to cool off. Since y’all got pissed enough to drive your truck off the end of a pier and all.”
“I didn’t drag Gavin in with me.”
“He got wet just the same, though.”
Gavin gave Tai a look and a nod he’d seen often on other dog owners. A concise version of I’ll hold mine and you hold yours.
“David.” He said it quietly, but David’s rigid pose relaxed instantly.
“Have we had a chance to talk about what movie we’d like to see?” Gavin’s brow wasn’t the only thing arched.
David laughed and gave a little bow to Gavin. “La Commedia è finita.”
Gavin chuckled and bowed back, making Tai wonder if it had something to do with the school skits David had mentioned.
As the tow truck arrived, slowed, and got into position, Tai asked David about it.
“No. It means ‘the farce has ended,’ but it’s used kind of darkly. It’s from an opera where everyone dies.”
“As opposed to the operas where everyone lives happily ever after?”
“Exactly.” David laughed again and then gasped. “Making me laugh is mean, Sir.”
Tai tightened his jaw at the reminder, though David’s flushed cheeks and dark eyes didn’t make it seem like he was suffering. Maybe they could do this. Draw the boundaries where they wanted them—needed them to be.
David frowned. “I wasn’t—I didn’t have anything to drink. Today, I mean.”
Tai put a hand on David’s hip, shielding it from the view of the tow-truck driver where he stood talking to Donnigan. “We’ll talk about it later.” Tai pushed him at the driver.
“Yes, Sir.”
As David settled up with the driver, Tai became aware of Gavin’s appraising stare and returned it with a caught-you nod.
Gavin gave a faint smile and drifted closer to Donnigan.
The winch lifted the front end of the Ferrari, and David winced and cringed as the brush scraped and pinged off the undercarriage and frame.
“I told him to take it to the body shop. A vine got wrapped around the front axle,” David said as he rejoined them. “I hope I can get a ride.” He smiled at Tai.
Jamie rolled his eyes. “Sure you can fit him in your car, Fonoti? Saw your dog.”
“We’re fine.” Tai put his hand on the back of David’s waist.
“Thank you kindly for your assistance, Officer.”
“Christ.” Jamie turned and reached for his car door. “Hey, Fonoti. You’re a pretty big guy. You really need a dog like that for protection?”
“Does walking poor Annabelle really challenge your masculinity that much, Jamie?” David threw back.
“If you don’t mind—” Gavin started.
“Not at all. We’re done.” Hand on David’s lower back, Tai headed for his car.
DAVID WAS quiet on the drive back, and Tai snuck a glance over to see him drift asleep, jerking awake when Tai pulled into a parking place on South Streeper. Tai watched him drag himself awake, putting on his usual dimpled smile with effort.
“Sorry to nod off.”
“No problem. Stay here for a minute. I’ll be right back.”
Tai left the car running for the AC and took Jez up to the apartment. He fed her and did his best to ignore her devastated expression as he went back to the door without her leash. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but he needs me more right now.”
David was dozing again when Tai opened the car door. This time David shook himself awake, then gave Tai a leer as familiar as it was feigned. “Usually if I’m going to fall asleep in the middle of the day, it’s because I’ve gotten off. Must be this feeling of having you inside me. Where’s Jez?”
“At my place. Thought we’d have some just-you-and-me time.”
“I could be up for that.” David waggled his brows.
Tai shook his head. “I mean you and me, boy. No distractions. No games.”
“Yes, Sir.”
IN DAVID’S apartment, Tai steered him into the bathroom. “Strip for me.”
As the jacket and trousers came off, Tai hung them in David’s closet. Coming back into the bathroom, Tai wrapped his arms around David from behind. “You were so good for me, wearing this.” Keeping one arm across David’s chest, Tai brought his other hand down to grab the base of the plug and fuck it gently back and forth.
David gasped, the strangeness Tai had felt coming from him washing away.
Tai worked the plug faster, drawing it out enough to stretch David’s hole, driving it back in across his gland until he clutched Tai’s arm for balance.
“That’s it. I want you to feel good. Want you to come for me. Do you want to come for me, boy?”
“Yes, Sir, please.”
Tai got David steady on his feet and turned on the shower. Holding David’s hand, Tai unsnapped one of the cuffs.
At the startled, wide-eyed look on David’s face, Tai said, “You’re getting them back. Don’t want to get them wet.”
“Right.” David flushed and looked down.
Tai pulled David into the shower and settled behind him, squirted some shower gel into his hand, and washed David’s chest, his neck, his back. Wh
ether it was because he was tired or because the plug had kept him close to it, David yielded immediately, no resistance, no questions as Tai soaped David’s sac, then stroked his cock to full attention.
Curling a finger through the loop at the base of the plug, Tai started working it, guiding David between the steel filling his ass and the hand gliding on his cock.
“Is it good, baby? Still enough lube?” Tai kissed and licked the water from David’s neck.
“Yes. But….”
“What? Tell me. It’s okay.”
“I don’t think I can hold it for long.”
“Good. Come when you’re ready, boy. I’ve got you.”
David drove faster into Tai’s fist, and he tightened his grip, angling the plug to pull the loudest moans, the sharpest breaths from David’s throat.
“That’s it. So damned good for me, boy.”
David’s fingers locked with bruising force on Tai’s forearm, hips jerking and snapping, dick spilling thick, creamy spunk over Tai’s fingers.
“Yeah.” Tai held on until David shuddered to a stop, then turned him under the spray to rinse them off. Tai’s dick throbbed, nuts heavy, full and needy. David was loose and pliant and counting on Tai to take care of him. He clenched his muscles and told himself to ignore the ache.
“Relax now. Breathe out.” Tai pulled the plug from David’s body, rinsed it, and leaned out to put it in the sink.
His boy was drained, hanging on wherever he could get a grip, swaying on his feet. “Few more minutes.” Tai shut off the water and dried them off. He thought about heading right for the bed, but he needed to know what had happened. After wrapping them in fresh towels, he pulled David out of the bathroom and onto the couch. With David between Tai’s legs, he settled against an arm, David’s back to Tai’s chest. He tucked David under his chin.
“How did the party go?”
“Good. Raked in a ton of donations, and between your contribution and mine, we got Sammie a rose.” The excitement in David’s voice made it sound like it was better than a florist delivery.
“That was nice.”
Bad Behavior Page 29
