Feeling His Steel

by Brynn Paulin

  The women chattered in a language he didn’t understand, and it seemed every one of them turned and stared at him, their mouths hanging open, as he passed. Their annoying nattering almost immediately resumed as they gawked.

  “Stay close to me,” Tobias admonished. “You don’t want to be lost in their clutches. They’ll try to change your religion.”

  “I have no religion.”

  Tobias turned to him, raising his eyebrow, a sizzling heat in his eyes. “I can fix that.”

  Suddenly Wyn understood he and Tobias weren’t referring to the same thing. “I would like that,” he replied.

  Before he could say more, a man with a thunderous countenance stormed up to them. His language was as unfamiliar as the women’s, but there was no misunderstanding his meaning. He spoke to Tobias in an enraged undertone as if he didn’t want others to hear. At the same time, he gestured emphatically at Wyn. He obviously wasn’t happy to see a stranger amongst the women. Wyn got the feeling the man thought of them as his, and Wyn didn’t like the way he spoke to Tobias one bit. While the man spouted, Tobias’ spine went rigid, his effort to stay calm palpable.

  Anger colored Wyn’s vision. He could run the man through. The deed could be done before anyone realized what had happened. No one verbally attacked his lover— no one, warrior or spoiled noble. Wyn eyed the interloper, sizing up the adversary. His hand went to the hilt of his sword, his face set in the stone finality he showed his enemies just before their deaths.

  Tobias turned suddenly and his eyes went wide when he saw Wyn’s stance.

  “Wyn, no,” he said in Wyn’s language. “He won’t hurt me. He’s just a stupid bastard. Smile and let’s go.” He grabbed Wyn’s arm, pulling him past the man as Wyn gave the “bastard” a smile that said, “I’ll kill you later.”

  Tobias kept pulling Wyn until they left the building through two doors covered with a similar clear substance as the ceiling. Wyn’s hand pressed to it, feeling it as they passed.

  “It’s glass,” he observed in awe. “I have never seen colorless glass as clear as water. It is actually clearer than water…”

  Tobias didn’t stop as he dragged Wyn outdoors.

  Wyn wrinkled his nose. “What is wrong with the air here?”

  Tobias sniffed. “What are you talking about? It smells fine.”

  No, it didn’t, but Wyn didn’t argue. He couldn’t detect the origin of the terrible smell assaulting his nostrils. It was nothing he’d inhaled before today. Still, if he couldn’t identify it, how could he argue? He breathed shallowly as the acrid air seemed to burn his throat.

  “Over here,” Tobias said as he led the way to a field of strange objects that looked to be peculiar wagons. He went to one with just two wheels. “This is mine,” he said then opened a compartment on the side.

  Wyn stepped away. It was all strange. This place. The wheeled object before him. The helm-like thing Tobias thrust toward him.

  He took it and slipped it onto his head. He attempted to mirror Tobias’ actions as Tobias pulled a fastener under his chin but fumbled with the straps. Quickly Tobias secured them, letting his fingers momentarily graze Wyn’s lightly bearded cheeks. His eyes went wide again and he yanked his hand away as if he’d been burned.

  His reaction confused Wyn until he saw Tobias look around them. Ah… He was attracted but didn’t want others here to see. Wyn decided to focus on the desire Tobias felt for him and ignore the rest for now. Eventually he’d admit he was Tobias. Wyn wasn’t so sure the man actually remembered his life as Wyn’s squire, but there was an uneasiness about him that suggested Tobias was scared of something.

  Tobias beckoned toward the wheeled contraption. “We need to leave before I get us into trouble by jumping you.”

  Wyn wasn’t sure what Tobias meant by “jumping”, but it sounded good to him. He eyed the silver-and-black object as Tobias swung his leg over it.

  “It’s called a motorcycle. It’s like a horse. Only faster,” Tobias laughed.

  Wyn stared at the unfamiliar thing called mo-tar-sy-cull. Like a horse? Hardly. “And smaller.”

  “Trust me.”

  He had always trusted Tobias and that would not change now. Swallowing, he nodded and climbed behind his former lover, settling his buttocks on the saddle-like portion. His cock settled against Tobias’ backside as Tobias showed him where to put his feet and hands then adjusted Wyn’s sword so it wouldn’t be in the way.

  Wyn closed his eyes in aroused anguish as his thighs pressed to either side of Tobias’ legs and his hands gripped Tobias’ slim hips. If they weren’t clothed, if Tobias leaned forward slightly and Wyn guided Tobias’ hips upward then down, Wyn could be within the hollow he’d missed for so many years.

  His cock throbbed painfully, his flesh as hard as an iron rod. What was Tobias’ reason for them straddling this metal-and-leather seat? The wheels indicated it was a conveyance, but there was no nearby horse to pull them.

  Suddenly the thing beneath them made a roaring sound, vibrating his already sensitive groin. Instinctively his arms slid around Tobias’ middle.

  “Yes, like that,” the man said over his shoulder then turned away again, and Wyn was glad. His face must have appeared as terrified as that of a maiden when faced by marauders. Panic pummeled his middle. He’d easily faced hordes, but this land with all its oddities forced him to a place he’d never experienced—an unsure, sometimes terrifying position.

  “Where am I, Tobias?” he whispered, but they’d started to move and the sound from the steel beast drowned out his words.

  Chapter Two

  Toby was a giant ball of barely harnessed sexual energy. With Wyn pressed tight against his back, he could barely think let alone maneuver his bike. He focused, trying not to moan as Wyn’s arms tightened when they pulled into traffic. A moment later, Wyn shuddered as they merged onto I-96 and accelerated to seventy. It was the only sign that the knight might be nervous. Taking his hand from the handlebar for a moment, Toby flattened his fingers over Wyn’s to reassure him then returned his hand to the grip.

  After a few minutes, he merged onto the connector leading to downtown while his thoughts continued to tumble. What on earth was going on here? What had brought an obviously medieval knight catapulting into his life? And such a stunning man…

  Whenever Toby looked at him, arousal tingled across his groin, his breathing felt constricted and his hands shook. If he didn’t grab back some control quickly, he’d come in his pants as if he were an untried schoolboy. But Wyn did make Toby feel untried. It was as if he’d never known true sexual attraction until now. And he needed to rein it in. Especially in this town and with the sort of coworkers he had.

  Grand Rapids might be the second largest city in Michigan, but it was also as conservative as a Midwestern town could get. Homosexual interaction received stares. Last year, a man had been sent to the hospital by someone who’d assaulted him for being gay—the man wasn’t even homosexual. Of course the jerks who’d attacked him had been drunk. That wasn’t normal Midwest conservatism in action, but Toby had worked hard to keep everything about himself above speculation, and that meant hiding his sexuality.

  He gasped as Wyn’s firm lips suddenly settled on his neck in contrast to the thoughts about secrecy. They would need to have a serious talk about discretion. Wyn nipped at his shoulder. One hand traveled down Toby’s middle to the juncture of his thighs to smooth over his cock. Toby jerked in surprise. The bike shot forward as lightning rocketed through his pelvis and all he could think about was the possibility of Wyn’s fingers opening his khakis and wrapping around him.

  His cock filled and pressed against the zipper of his khaki pants. The garment had more give than his jeans but not much, especially with Wyn’s hand pressed over him, running up and down. He groaned as his knight’s fingers traced the shape of his shaft’s head. Someone was feeling more comfortable with being on the motorcycle.

  “Shit, Wyn,” he yelled over his shoulder, pulling the man’s hand
back to his waist. “What are you trying to do? Kill us?”

  Wyn’s laugh shook against Toby’s back. “You have never had trouble riding while I have touched you,” he yelled back. His thumb hooked in Toby’s waistband, grazing the head of his arousal. His fingers splayed downward. He outlined Toby’s shaft while he made a back-and-forth movement over the top of Toby’s turgid cock. The cotton from Toby’s briefs rasped over his sensitive tip, damp with his pre-cum.

  Toby gasped for breath as his balls drew tight to his body, throbbing with the need to release. Shit, he couldn’t come. He’d kill them both.

  With Herculean effort, he refocused on the road, swerving around a slow pickup truck with a curse. Wyn lightly pumped his cupped hand along Toby’s shaft and Toby clenched his fingers, shuddering with his need. They couldn’t find a bed fast enough.

  His vision grew hazy as he veered off the highway and down the street that led to his downtown condo. The builder who’d taken on the renovation of the old building had had trouble convincing people to take a chance on the area, so Toby had gotten a deal when he’d bought his place. He was thankful for that since he’d wanted to be in the hub of the city, not on the outskirts. He’d gotten a spacious living space in an area now teeming with growth, and his investment had garnered him a home worth five times what he’d paid.

  His hands shook as he used his access card to enter the parking garage then drove as fast as he dared to his spot. The bike jerked to a halt at the same time he yanked Wyn’s hand off his pants. He leaped off the bike, whipped off his helmet then shoved it in the motorcycle’s saddlebag. Toby heard Wyn copy his movement, but he didn’t look at him as he stalked toward the door leading to the lobby. Wyn was on Toby’s heels and Toby knew, if he so much as looked at Wyn, he’d nail him against the parking garage wall then drop to his knees to investigate the cock he’d barely been able to feel through the layers of mail and thick tunics.

  The lobby was deserted save for the security guard lounging behind his desk, but Toby noticed little but the echo of Wyn’s booted feet on the white marble tiles and the quiet shooshing of his chainmail links shifting against each other as they marched toward the elevator. Toby punched the call button. Dropping his arm, he clenched and unclenched his fingers to relieve some of the tension clawing through him. He twisted his head in a circle to loosen his neck then rolled his shoulders. Nothing seemed to ease the unbearable lust knotting his middle.

  Wyn didn’t try to touch him and Toby wondered if he sensed Toby’s agitation and how close he danced to the edge of losing control. Glancing at Wyn from the corner of his eye, Toby saw his knight taking in everything with the same wonder he’d had in the parking lot outside the college. Wyn’s hand went to the hilt of his sword as the elevator doors slid open.

  “It’s okay,” Toby murmured, stepping through the opening. Wyn’s peace of mind needed more attention than his own shaken state.

  Toby turned once he was inside and braced his hands on one of the rails that ran the walls of the enclosure. He puffed out his chest. “Come on, Wyn. It’s safe, and the sooner you get in, the sooner you get what we both want.”

  Wyn’s brown eyes darkened as he caught Toby’s meaning and Toby reached out to press the hold button to keep the doors open until Wyn joined him. Wyn straightened, his resolve visibly wrapping around him, and he stepped forward, seeming to trust Toby’s word.

  His presence seemed to fill the small space while Toby fought for restraint. He couldn’t understand this uncontrollable need, but as he selected the tenth floor on the panel, he knew it wouldn’t be long before they were both naked.

  Wyn jerked as the car surged upward, but he quickly found an anchor—Toby. His fingers dug into Toby’s hips, his gaze never leaving him.

  “This is a new and wondrous place, Tobias,” his said in awe as he stared at Toby’s mouth. A dark strand of hair fell over Wyn’s eye to his cheek, making him look dangerous and rugged, but Toby wasn’t afraid. His body thrummed, and if not for the security camera in the corner of the elevator, he would have found a way inside Wyn’s chainmail and medieval clothing.

  “You are new and wondrous,” Toby replied. He swallowed, wondering how forward he could be. Judging from the wandering hands on the ride here, he figured “forward” wasn’t a worry. “I want to suck your cock.”

  Wyn swallowed. “It has been a long time. Since you—”

  He broke off, reaching for his sword as the doors slid open.

  “It’s all right,” Toby told him. “No dragons here. Come with me. My door is down the hall in the back of the building.” At the moment, he was the only occupant of this floor. Since no one would see them, Toby laced his fingers through Wyn’s workhardened grasp then led the way to his place—and privacy. His excitement grew as he approached 4D and he feared he’d lose it before he even got out of his pants. No man had ever brought him to this point—and he’d never brought another man here. What he was experiencing, where they were going, it all seemed virgin territory that had been reserved for the two of them to experience together.

  At his door, he paused to look into Wyn’s light brown eyes.

  “Hurry, Tobias,” Wyn urged.

  Tobias…

  “Toby,” Toby murmured. Was he making a mistake? With a swallow, he turned and fitted the key into the lock. Wyn turned Toby’s chin toward him before Toby pushed open the door.

  “One and the same,” Wyn asserted. “Do not torture yourself by believing I have confused you for another. I have not. I do not know why you have forgotten me, but I know exactly who you are and I will help you to remember.”

  Toby wasn’t so sure there was something to recall, but he trusted Wyn’s sincerity. He held open the door and let Wyn enter ahead of him. Once inside, Toby leaned against the closed door. Wyn didn’t gaze around the condo as he had the rest of the places he’d been. His brown eyes bored into Toby, his arousal bright gold against his dark irises.

  “Here we are,” Toby said around the lump in his throat. “Home sweet home.”

  Wyn gave him a half-smile and took a few steps away. Turning, he unfastened his sword belt and placed the weapon on the floor. Then he bent at the waist and let the chainmail slink from his body and into a metal heap on the tile. A moment later, he was back.

  Toby sucked in his breath as he caught his first glimpse of the physique beneath the armor. If possible, Wyn seemed even larger now…overwhelming. His arm wrapped around Toby’s lower back, his other lifting to cup the back of Toby’s head. Wyn stared into Toby’s eyes, silently declaring his intention, then in a blur his lips were on Toby’s. His mouth devoured and claimed. There was no exploration, no tenderness as the somehow familiar taste of cinnamon and wine flooded Toby’s senses. Wyn stormed his entire being and there was no escape, but it didn’t matter. Toby had no desire to flee.

  He gasped at the sensations shunting through his chest in waves. His mouth opened as he sank into the kiss, his tongue sliding against Wyn’s as he plundered his lips.

  Wyn pulled him tight to his hard body. Their cocks ground together as they seemed to struggle to get inside each other’s skin. Blindly Toby groped for a hold on Wyn’s thick tunic. He dragged it upward and Wyn broke their kiss long enough to let the garment be swept over his head. Toby groaned at the second thinner tunic beneath, the first being padding under the chainmail, the second acting as Wyn’s true clothing.

  Wyn smiled at Toby’s frustration and removed the belt around that tunic then yanked the offending garment away, leaving him standing in only his rough-hewn hose.

  Toby sank backward against the door, stunned by the breathtaking specimen of a man before him. He sank to his knees. His lips pressed to Wyn’s rock-hard belly. He worshiped that perfection with his mouth while his hands skated over the knight’s equally hard thighs. Damn, it would be like fucking stone—warm stone—but that certainly didn’t deter him.

  As he kissed along the ever-widening treasure trail that ran from Wyn’s navel to his cock, Toby worked th
e ties holding up Wyn’s hose. He had to see that cock, cradled in the curling black hair that led there. After what seemed an eternity, he shoved down the garment.

  Wyn’s arousal rose like a thick obelisk to manhood, and Toby was the pagan to worship there. His thumb traced the thick vein that curved from Wyn’s base to the smooth, mushroomed tip. Wyn growled with his need for more, pressing his hand to the back of Toby’s head, but he didn’t pull him forward. He let Toby move in his own time while making it known he needed more.

  “Taste me. Take me in your mouth,” Wyn urged, his voice a gravelly rumble. His breathing grew ragged as Toby encircled him with his hand then leaned forward. A masculine tang that was all Wyn flooded Toby’s senses as he wrapped his lips around Wyn’s wide cock. He flattened his tongue on the head, tasting, then flicking Wyn’s weeping slit, gathering his salty pre-cum. Slowly he pushed forward, taking more of Wyn’s length into his mouth, intent on taking all of him but also determined to go slow.

  Toby’s lips dragged over the steel-like rod, Wyn’s burning flesh sending lava flowing through Toby’s veins. But that wasn’t the liquid fire he longed to feel. He stroked Wyn, fucking him with his mouth, drawing forward the release that would give him what he desired.

  Wyn’s fingers tightened in Toby’s hair as he groaned his pleasure. His hips canted forward with each draw of Toby’s mouth. While he laved Wyn’s cock, Toby reached beneath to Wyn’s heavy balls and cradled the sac in his hand, massaging it with his thumb and gently tugging. Wyn liked that. He always had…

  As if that knowledge triggered Toby’s inner vision, his sight dimmed and suddenly he saw them inside a cavern. Water fell over the opening and at first he thought it was a waterfall. Lightning crashed nearby and he realized it was a downpour that sheeted the opening to the cave where the two warriors had found shelter. He and Wyn were both soaked, but Wyn had removed his tunic. It was bunched up on the ground, and Tobias knelt on it as he drew Wyn’s cock into his mouth.