by Z. Allora
Uli smelled the aroma wafting from his flute, which sharpened his urgent need for what the fragile glass contained. He lifted his crystal for a toast out of habit.
“May you have a very happy birthday, Uli. Thank you for brightening every one of my days. I’m very grateful you’re my best friend. I love you.”
Uli teared up. He might be drained, confused, and exhausted, but Alex’s simple words touched his soul. There was no denying he loved Alex, too, probably more than he should, though he couldn’t stop his feelings.
Alex met him halfway, pressed their lips together, and within seconds the chaste, sweet kiss flared into passion.
Uli’s coordination and balance were off, but holy hell he was ready for more of those wet kisses.
Pulling back Alex clinked their glasses. “Drink.”
The scent pulled Uli’s focus back to his craving. He tipped the flute back and swallowed the rich cream. “Mmmm,” he moaned.
Energy zapped into him and made everything intense. He was invincible and his cock hardened as he finished the fluid. Only Alex’s chuckle made him pull his tongue out of the glass. He had gotten most of ejaculate, but some clung to the very bottom. He stopped short of asking for a spoon.
Shaking with pleasure and lust, he set the glass down. “I feel damned good.” He adjusted his erection.
Alex elegantly arched his eyebrow at Uli’s bold rearrangement of his pants and said, “We should go to the extraction room.”
Finally, Cutter’s treatment was deemed complete, and Storm was thrilled to spring him from the facility. He hoped like fuck Cut was cured or healed, though he’d watch him like a hawk to help derail any cutting behavior. He wouldn’t lose Cutter; he just couldn’t.
Storm forced himself to think on the positive. He and Cutter were both invited to Uli’s birthday party. So instead of going home, he drove straight to Club Zombie, which would postpone his father’s bitching about him ending his internship at his uncle’s firm before the end of the school semester. His excuse of prepping for the next semester was flimsy at best.
Uli’s birthday party would just be the four of them, which was fine by him. He needed no one else. He’d never admit it, but he was excited to see Uli and Alex.
Cutter took the stairs to Alex and Ulrich’s apartment two at a time.
When Uli answered the door, Cut jumped into his arms. They held each other until they started giggling. Cut slid off him and said, “Happy birthday.”
Uli noticed Storm was still standing in the door, and his face lit up again. “Hi, Storm! It’s great to see you.”
Storm stuck out his hand, but Uli stepped around and came in for a hug. “Um, good to see you too.”
Ulrich whispered, “I’ve missed you.” He clung for a beat longer than was expected. Then the birthday boy hung their coats on hooks by the door.
Storm handed over the gift he’d picked up from both of them. He’d never seen anyone so thrilled by a present.
Ulrich didn’t shake it or try to guess what it was—none of that seemed to matter. The birthday boy simply hugged the package tight and thanked them with too much sincerity for Storm to be comfortable.
“Open it,” Cutter demanded.
“Oh, right.” Ulrich grinned. The wrapping paper and ribbons started flying. “Oh my God, I love it!” Uli shrieked with delight.
“Try it on!” Cut encouraged him.
Ulrich ripped off his own shirt, revealing a nearly hairless torso. Storm guessed his body was toned from years of work on his family’s vineyard in Germany. He couldn’t help but compare Uli’s body to Cutter’s. They had the same frame and sexy build. Did he like sex on the rough side like Cutter? Or did he like it soft and sweet….
Shaking off those thoughts, Storm watched the strip tease in reverse as Uli covered his goods by putting on the vintage Tokio Hotel concert shirt. “Thanks so much. I love it.”
Uli gave them another round of warm hugs. Storm tried to ignore the delicious sensation of holding Uli in his arms. Feeling a stab of guilt, Storm once again thought about how the sensation compared to Cutter’s hugs. He almost wished he didn’t have to choose between them. They each offered something unique and fulfilled different parts of him. Cutter’s hugs were desperate, clinging, and full of love. Uli’s hugs were playful, joyous, and honeyed. Fuck, as if either of them would want him!
Cutter’s voice cut through his musings. “The T-shirt fits perfectly, Uli.”
“Yeah, you’re rocking it,” Storm muttered, hoping to break up the touch-fest of Cut’s fingers lingering on Ulrich’s waistband before he joined in.
Uli grinned and held out his hand, presenting a view of his new thumb ring. “Look what Alex made me.” He glanced over at the shy man and said, “I really love it.”
Storm was envious that Alex gave Uli a hammered silver thumb ring. Damn it! He wished he and Cutter had thought of something better than the T-shirt, but there hadn’t been time.
Why did Mr. Model have to be so damned perfect? His heart-shaped face and bow-shaped, dark pink lips made Storm want to… well, slide between them. He was going straight to hell, because fuck if he didn’t want all three of these guys.
“Glad you’re here.” Uli beamed while he let Cutter have a closer look at the ring. Fuck nuggets! No competing with a cool handmade gift.
Alex set out cups and filled them with sparkling apple cider.
“What the fuck? Is this a kiddie party?” Storm asked with a tad of sarcasm, which earned him a scathing glare from Cut.
“It’s from his cousin, Kai,” Alex growled at him, tossing his long hair over his shoulder. Alex put a hand on his narrow hip and seemed to dare Storm to say something disparaging, but for some reason snark had left him stranded on the beach of stupid. Oddly enough, he didn’t even want to say something goofy.
Storm stalked over to where their coats were draped and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels from his pocket. He glanced down into the opened backpack sitting there and saw a bunch of books covered in fabric. Sue him! He was too nosy not to peek at what books needed privacy-fabric covers. Well, fuck, which one of them was into BDSM?
Cutter whined, “Storm, did you get lost?”
Damn! Storm shoved the how-to books back into the pack and reached into Cutter’s coat, procuring four shot glasses. He joined them and proclaimed, “This is what’s served at a party.”
Uli clapped him on the back. “Thanks, man.”
Was it Storm’s imagination or did Ulrich leave his callused hand on him longer than necessary?
What? Oh, he certainly didn’t imagine the palm of Ulrich’s hand brushing across his ass. No, he definitely hadn’t conjured up the grope, considering the guy squeezed his asscheek before walking away.
“Come on.” Uli gave him a devilish grin over his shoulder.
Fuck me. He smiled. First time he felt like a party favor, but he rather liked being fondled by the birthday boy. Had Cut noticed? Because he wasn’t smiling.
Cutter helped Alex pour chips, cookies, and cheesy snacks in bowls and set them out. The four of them then plopped down around the coffee table, Uli and Alex on one side, and Storm and Cutter on the opposite, as if they had picked teams according to best friend status.
When the updates on life were done, Storm filled everyone’s glass with Jack Daniel’s cheapest. “Ever play ‘I Never’?” He pointedly ignored Cutter’s whine and directed all of his attention onto Alex and Uli as he crunched on a chocolate chip cookie sandwiched between two potato chips.
They both shook their heads.
Storm proceeded to explain, “Well, you make a statement that’s something you’ve never done, and anyone who has done the deed, so to speak, drinks. Make sense?”
“I like American games, and this one sounds easy.” Uli grinned at Cutter while he pressed up against the side of Alex.
Alex shook his head. “We shouldn’t be drinking, we’re all underage.”
“Jesus, Grandpa, lighten up.”
Alex so
unded nothing like the cover model Storm had imagined him to be.
“It’s only a little whiskey. I’m still a German citizen, so under German law I can drink.” Uli chortled.
“Actually, I think you follow the laws of the country you’re in.” Cutter smiled at Alex, and it looked like he was waiting to get credit.
“It’s my birthday,” Uli announced.
Cutter and Storm nodded while Alex shrugged, “True.”
“I’d never do something because someone else wants me to do it,” Storm quipped. He pointed to the rest of them. “Drink!”
Cutter took a sip and grimaced. “Ain’t that the truth?”
Actually, it wasn’t. Most of the time Storm had given in to his father, even when the man’s wishes were against his very nature.
Uli laughed and tossed back the shot.
Alex gasped and demanded in a deep voice, “Go easy.”
Cutter shivered and stared openmouthed at Alex.
Uli cuddled in closer to Alex and started to fiddle with the man’s hands. He shimmied. “Are you afraid if I drink too much someone will take advantage of me?”
Alex growled in response.
What the fuck was that? The guy actually snarled! Something definitely had gone down between the two of them while Storm and Cutter went MIA.
“I’ve never had sex,” Uli blurted out.
Cutter pulled his stare away from the apparently fascinating Alex to gawk at Uli. “Never?”
“You have to be specific. What kind of sex?” Storm wanted to make sure there was no confusion. The guy wasn’t completely without experience, was he? Why the hell did Storm care?
Uli peeked over at Storm through a lock of golden-blond hair with his innocent blue eyes. The glance hit Storm right in the gut. Usually only Cutter made his insides somersault like when they rode the rickety loop coaster at the carnival.
Sighing, Uli shrugged. “Pick one.”
Shit! A total virgin. Scorching hot!
Cutter swiveled his stare away from Storm and he cleared his throat. “Anal sex?”
“Never.” Uli’s accent seemed more pronounced.
Turning Storm tried to catch Cutter’s attention, but his best friend concentrated on stacking cookies one on top of the other. Storm didn’t like being ignored. Payback. Alex and Uli both watched Storm and Cutter throw back a shot.
Storm watched Alex’s gunmetal gray eyes widen with the knowledge as to why he and Cutter had taken a drink.
Uli, not far behind, opened his cupid-bow mouth. “So both of you have done it?” After Cutter nodded his head, he turned slightly toward Storm, and the painful expression probably written on both their faces was enough to tell their story.
Uli gasped, “Together?”
Yes! Storm wanted to shout along with He’s mine! Instead he got a front row seat watching a quick replay of their fumbling grope session that concluded in painful penetration without lube or protection. In a way, he was glad sex ended almost before the awkward romp began. They had been watching some hot porn called, Sex Like It Rough. The experience that followed was all kinds of wrong, their virginities lost to the emptiness of inexperience and desperation.
The group remained silent as they stared at each other. Maybe “I Never” wasn’t the best idea Storm ever had.
“Your turn, Alex,” Cut coaxed. Why the fuck did that bring a blush to Cutter’s face?
“I don’t know. I’ve not done a lot of things.” Alex batted his eyelashes in Uli’s direction, but Uli didn’t notice because he was licking his lips and gawking at Cutter.
The smile Cut gave Alex would have melted Storm. “You’ve got plenty of time.” Why did that sound like a cheap offer to help him gain experience?
“I never had a blowjob.” After more encouragement from Cutter and Uli, Alex threw out that gem.
No one lifted his glass.
Alex folded his arms and glared at Storm.
Cutter glowered at Storm and elbowed him. “Why aren’t you drinking?”
“’Cause the game is ‘I Never’ and I never…” Storm rolled his eyes as the truth came out. The rules were simple. Cut had played this in the past.
A big-eyed stare followed by Cutter’s frown. “I thought you… all those nights at the club when you’d disappeared…. You didn’t…?”
Mission accomplished—though now Storm looked like an idiot. Ah well, time to play the part. “What? You thought I’d let some stranger eat thousands of my babies? That’s cannibalism!”
“You’re disgusting.” Cut smacked him, but he wore a big-assed, happy grin.
Alex squeezed Storm’s knee. Everyone seemed more comfortable after his admission. Even Uli smiled at him with some sort of weird approval.
Attempting to move this along, Storm pointed out, “Your turn, Cut.”
Cutter had an evil smile. Shit! Trouble was headed straight for him. Bring it, baby.
“I never text in the bathroom.”
“One time! Once!” Storm shook his head, disbelieving his so-called best friend went there. That was low. Granted, if one counted the times he received pretend hummers at Club Zombie, the numbers would be in the twenties. Fine, he texted from the bathroom all the damned time! However, that wasn’t the point, and he didn’t have to share that charming tidbit.
The birthday boy, who steadily sipped his Jack shots even when he didn’t have to, snickered. “Hope you washed your hands first.” He collapsed into Alex with a big “Ewwwwww!”
“You’re gonna get it!” Storm waved his finger with the empty threat.
“Promises, promises.” Cutter used his best brat voice. He raised his glance to Alex, who emitted a low growl.
Uli tried to sit upright but doubled over again in another fit of sloppy giggles.
Cutter sat straighter, cocked his head, and dared to ask, “Yes, Alex?”
Damn, did Cut know he was playing with fire? Storm studied his best friend. Fuck yeah, he did!
Alex narrowed his eyes to pinpricks, and his body was tense. “Little boys should be careful what they wish for…”
“More like fantasize…,” Cutter mumbled.
“I’m very aware of you, Cutter Morgan.” Alex leaned forward. The movement caused a protest from Uli at having lost his nesting place.
An audible sigh expelled with the breath Cutter must have been holding. What the fuck did he mean? Everyone saw Cutter. For Christ’s sake, he was sitting right on the fucking floor. He was hard to miss.
Uli shifted to lay his head against Alex’s shoulder and stared at Cutter. Storm wasn’t sure if he was laying claim or wasn’t able to hold up his head. “Your turn, Storm,” Uli sang out.
“I never had a sex dream about Uli.” It was a simple statement. He didn’t have any dreams about the guy while he slept. Did Uli occasionally star in his wide-awake spank-bank mind movie selection? Yup. But there was a difference between conscious fantasy and an unconscious dream.
“Do… what do you call them? Um, wet dreams. If I have wet dreams that I’m in then even I’ve dreamed about me!” Peals of laughter exploded from Uli, identifying him as officially drunk. He cackled until tears rolled down his face, though he seemed to sober and grew pensive when both Cutter and Alex drank.
Damn. It was confirmed Cutter dreamed about the sweet thing sitting across from them. Oddly enough, the revelation turned Storm on more than incited jealousy. He actually wanted to ask Cutter to describe the dreams to him in slow detail so he could enjoy the images fully.
Maybe his stare was accusatory, because Cutter snapped, “What? I can’t have dreams now? It’s not like you’ve ever wanted me.”
Nothing could be further from the truth, but again Storm couldn’t refute the evidence. He simply reminded the group as he refilled glasses, “It’s the ever-popular Ulrich’s turn.”
“I never want any of us to part.” Uli cuddled deeper into Alex’s side.
Storm had to ask, “How much has he had?” Cutter’s hard elbow connected to his side. “That
hurt.”
“Good.” Cutter actually stuck his tongue out.
Storm had watched that particular move since he was fourteen, and every time Cut pushed his tongue between his lips, Storm longed to suck on it. He wanted to take Cutter’s tongue in his mouth like he would Cutter’s cock.
Fuck! He needed a grip… on his dick.
“Alex’s turn,” Cutter chirped, then made a face at Storm.
What the hell?
Alex sat straighter, tilted his head, and burned his focus into Cut. Gone was the elf boy Storm loved to tease, and in his place was… someone Storm wouldn’t taunt. “I’ve never spanked a brat.”
Cutter squirmed until he breathed out, “Really?”
Even the tipsy Ulrich sat up. He dropped his elbow on the coffee table, rested his chin in the palm of his hand, and studied Alex, then Cutter.
Folding his arms, Alex didn’t appear skinny or delicate. His whole demeanor changed, and fuck if he hadn’t become a force to be reckoned with. “Really,” Alex purred in a deep voice.
What the fuck was that? What was happening?
Uli turned his head from Cutter to Alex and back again, sort of like watching a game of air hockey. And the birthday boy didn’t appear happy until he entwined his fingers with Alex’s. Was this his way of showing possession, or being part of the heat?
Uli reminded them of the game. “No one drank. Your turn, Cutter.”
Cutter shifted his gaze to Storm for half a second, and then he focused on the bowl of cheese puffs. “I’ve never been kissed.”
Alex and Uli’s mouths both dropped open.
Ulrich gasped. “But you’ve had sex? How the hell do you do the deed but not swap spit?”
Shaking his head, Cutter stared down at the fingers he’d twisted together in his lap. “Just fucked.”
Ow. Way to jam a knife in.
Uli scooted around the table and hugged Cutter into his arms tight. “Awww, poor baby.”
Cutter let Uli stroke him like a pet bunny.
After a minute, Uli suggested, “Maybe we should play the game with the bottle instead.”
Cutter sniffed. “What, you mean spin the bottle?”
