by Darien Cox
My eyes opened. “What…no, don’t stop. Please, Duncan.”
He rolled me onto my back again, then dragged me to the edge of the bed. Standing on the floor, he spread my legs, raising them up, my ass hanging off the mattress, then he took me again, pumping into me from a standing position, and it was fucking fantastic.
The nerves inside me were already lit up, but with this new angle they screamed with pleasure, and watching Duncan’s face, hair hanging over his eyes as he worked against me, it sent me even closer to the edge than I’d been before. “I’m gonna come,” I whispered. “Please let me, Duncan. Please don’t stop this time.”
“You wanna come Zach? You wanna come right now, just for me?”
“Yes, God, yes!” I clenched around him, trying to hold him there in case he tried to escape again. It made Duncan jolt, then he shoved into me harder, deeper. I could feel him losing control and that was the final push I needed.
My cock started gushing even before I grabbed it, and I was lost to the bliss.
Duncan jerked, gasping, fingers gripping my thighs. “Oh, fuck, you’re sweet,” he said as he came, throwing his head back. “So sweet, Zach.”
I moaned as I worked the last of my climax with my hand, coating my stomach. “Duncan,” I whispered. “Holy shit.”
Duncan’s hips finally stopped moving, and his legs wobbled before he caught himself with a hand on the mattress, his cock sliding out of me. “Damn,” he said, resting his palms on the bed as his breathing slowed. “Damn. I’ll be right back.” He leaned down and kissed me, then walked off. Light cut a beam into the dark room, then disappeared when the bathroom door closed.
I slid my legs back onto the mattress and stretched out, everything sore and stiff, but in the best way. As I lay there catching my breath, covered in Duncan’s sweat and my own come, I schooled myself, remembering I had to remain cool, no matter how amazing that was. My desire for Duncan had been building and building and now it had exploded. He’d thoroughly fucked me, inside out and upside down and sideways, and my baser instincts wanted to cling to him, to beg him to promise this wouldn’t be the last time that happened. But I wouldn’t succumb to those instincts. Old Zach tried to rise up, begging me to let him take the wheel, but I punched him hard in the face and shoved him back in his box.
Duncan returned from the bathroom and climbed onto the mattress, then ran a warm, wet towel over my belly, cleaning me up. “There you go, wood nymph.”
I started laughing, my body limp like overcooked spaghetti. “Thank you.”
He tossed the towel aside and slid down beside me, drawing the sheet over us. “What are you thanking me for? Cleaning you up or making you come?”
“Both.”
He tugged me into his body and wrapped his arms around me, breathing against my cheek. “Well. I didn’t expect this to happen tonight.”
I tensed. “Not even when you pulled over and dragged me into your car?”
He chuckled. “No, by then I was resigned.”
I shifted onto my side so I could see his face. “What made you do it? Come after me like that.”
He smiled. “You don’t know?”
I shook my head.
“Zach, do you have any idea the way you were looking at me tonight at the party?”
My face heated. “No. I mean, I knew I wanted you. I didn’t think I made it obvious, though.”
“You did. Even with the makeup, I could see it. You’ve never looked at me that way before. Drove me crazy.” He chuckled. “Obviously.”
I bit my tongue on a thousand things I wanted to say. I wanted to tell him how jealous I’d been when Greg was touching him. I wanted to assure him Corey was no longer in my mind or in my heart, that Duncan had fucked the last of him out of my system. I wanted to ask him if this was just one night, or if we’d started something here. If he’d ultimately tell me this was wrong because he was the one signing my paycheck.
But I didn’t. I was new Zach, and new Zach didn’t cling or apply pressure or beg for reassurance. So I settled for something less dangerous. “I’m glad this happened, Duncan.”
He fingered my bottom lip. “So am I. Get some sleep. I’ll make breakfast in the morning.”
“Okay.”
Duncan kissed me tenderly, then rolled over, pulling the sheet up over his shoulders.
I rolled away as well, sighing in the darkness. Hoping I wouldn’t regret letting go of my hard-earned control.
Chapter Nine
Blinking, I jolted up, confused by the unfamiliar surroundings. Duncan’s bedroom. It was daylight, and now I could see it. It was huge and stylish, all cream and blue, cool and comfortable with the air conditioning on.
But I was alone in the big bed.
I looked to my left and spotted a wheeled tray with orange juice and fruit, a plate of scrambled eggs and toast. A note rested against a small pot of coffee. I picked it up and read.
‘Zach, I had to head out early to deal with something, my apologies. Earl will be out front to drive you when you’re ready to leave. – Duncan’
Well then. So considerate. And yet so cold. But what had I expected? Love poetry? No, but shit, he could have at least drawn a heart or given me something that made me feel like more than an employee. Maybe an ‘I had fun last night’ or ‘I’ll talk to you soon’ or whatever.
And scrambled eggs, damn it? He knew I was a vegan. Maybe he didn’t get it. Or maybe he forgot. I thought about eating the eggs on a self-destructive whim, but when I touched them with my finger they were cold. How the fuck long had he been up? Been gone?
Suddenly aware of my nakedness, I panicked, remembering my wet clothes were still out by the pool. I hopped out of bed, glancing around. Sighing, I saw my clothes, dry and folded on a chair. My socks were on top. Under the chair were my shoes, neatly lined up. I wondered again exactly how early Duncan had risen to do all this. I hadn’t even stirred, so he must have been quiet. I walked over and picked up my tee shirt. It smelled clean and laundered. Was he up before the sun, creeping around, making breakfast, washing my clothes? Did he get up at four in the morning so he could do all this, so he wouldn’t have to deal with me?
“Oh, fuck it, who cares,” I muttered. I used the bathroom, then quickly got dressed.
It wasn’t like I hadn’t known what I was getting into. I’d known last night this was risky, but decided to take the risk anyway. Overthinking it, particularly since I’d still be working for him, sounded emotionally exhausting. I just didn’t have it in me to play that game with myself.
I didn’t know if this meant I was growing up or that I’d turned into a stone-cold sociopath. Nah, I wasn’t a sociopath. The feelings were there. I was merely compartmentalizing them. I liked Duncan. But I liked my new job too, and wasn’t about to flounce off in tears and quit simply because I’d gotten a note rather than morning cuddles. I’d gotten what I needed last night. What happened next, time would tell.
I gobbled down a piece of toast, drank the orange juice, then went downstairs to look for my bag. I found it by the front door, neatly leaned against the wall, not haphazardly dropped like it had been last night when Duncan was dragging me along by the hand.
I wasn’t sure why that bothered me, but it did. The neat arrangement of my bag. The folded clothes upstairs. The note on the breakfast tray. It all said ‘get the fuck out’ but in that polite, generous way that was all Duncan. I’d been tidied up. I glanced around and listened. The house was quiet, empty. I considered snooping around, but the coldness in my stomach whispered, unwelcome.
I was not the special wood nymph anymore in the light of day. I was just a guy doing a very comfortable walk of shame. I stepped outside and closed the door. Sprinklers hissed on the lawn. Directly in front of the door, the black car sat there, and I saw Earl behind the wheel, reading a magazine. The car was parked so close to the door I could have stumbled into it. Like everything else I’d encountered since waking, it said, Get the fuck out.
I opened the
back door and got in the car. “Hi, Earl.”
He lowered the magazine and put the car in drive. “Good morning. Going home?”
“Yeah. You’ve got the address?”
“Jamaica Plain. Got it.”
Of course he did. Duncan wouldn’t leave that to chance. I rolled down the window as the car pulled out of the driveway and down the road, past millionaire houses with their own sprinklers going tsst tsst tsst on unnaturally green lawns. Maybe Duncan was having regrets. Maybe he’d been drunker than I thought and woke up with a case of the ‘Oh, shits’ and was freaking out.
Earl dropped me off and I hiked up the stairs to my apartment. I pulled my phone out of my bag and checked messages. One from Barry giving me my schedule for next week, but that had been sent yesterday afternoon when I was busy prepping for the party. One from Sarah. And one from Doug, sent a half hour ago.
‘You up for a run in an hour?’
That sounded great, actually. Some endorphins to clear my head. And maybe I’d talk to Doug about what happened, get his feedback. I wouldn’t mention Duncan’s name of course. But Doug seemed to have his head on straight. He’d dealt with anger management issues a few years back, after he hurt the guy his boyfriend had cheated with, before he met Stewart. And he’d dealt with similar bullshit as me, at the same time as me. We’d both been the side-guys for Corey and Stewart before winning them over to ourselves. That made us like brothers, right?
I snorted a laugh and texted Doug back. ‘Run sounds great. Just let me take a quick shower first.’
‘A shower before running? You getting weird?’
‘Long story. Meet you down the pond in thirty minutes?’
‘Sounds scandalous. See you in thirty.’
I showered and jogged down to the pond, finding Doug doing stretches near the bench where I usually saw him. He wore soft gray sweat shorts and a sleeveless black tee, his short brown hair pushed up on one side from sleeping. “Hey.” He gave me a big smile. “Clean now, you dirty boy?”
“Ha ha. You ready?”
“Let’s go.”
We were silent for a time as we ran along the water’s edge. Ducks and swans floated by us, a small sailboat visible farther out. We passed a dogwalker and another jogger, then Doug said, “Stewart and I really enjoyed the party last night. Cool little garden bar. You got a nice gig there.”
“I know, it’s really great. I didn’t think I could handle the pressure, but it was manageable. Now we just have to wait and see if real customers will come.”
“You kidding me? Of course they will. Even without the vegetarian food and what have you, it’s outside, and it’s nice out there. People will drift out from the main bar at the very least.”
“Duncan’s already done a lot of advertising. Should be fine.”
Doug glanced at me. “So you get laid last night?”
“Yeah. First time in a long time.”
“You’re kidding me.” Doug’s steps slowed a bit and he stared at me with wide eyes.
I frowned at him. “What?”
He shook his head and faced front, picking up the pace.
“Doug. Why did you sound so surprised? I told you before I was on a dry spell.”
“No, that’s not it.” He was silent for a few beats. “It’s that I saw who you left with.”
In my head, tires screeched, and I stopped jogging. Doug looked back, then circled around, stopping before me, stretching his leg behind him. “Shit, got a cramp.”
“You saw?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Stewart and I were in the car getting ready to leave. Saw Duncan pull over and yank you into the car.”
“Don’t tell Corey.”
His brows rose as his leg dropped. “So I’m right? It was Duncan you…went home with?”
“Don’t tell Corey.”
“I won’t.”
“I know how tight you two are, Doug, I swear, if—”
“I won’t tell him, Zach, Jesus. I don’t get it so I know he wouldn’t either, and I don’t need Corey any more dramatic than he already is.”
“What don’t you get?”
Doug shrugged. “Any of it. I mean…he’s your boss, right?”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “I know, not the best idea.”
Doug made a huffing sound and rolled his eyes.
“I know, okay?”
“Okay, okay, settle down. It’s just weird. I’ve known Duncan for a year, and he’s just…Duncan. Corey’s uncle. All rich and distinguished and shit. Now I’m picturing him naked. Damn. Now I’m picturing you naked with him.”
“Well stop!”
Doug laughed and moved to a park bench. “Sit down.”
I slumped down beside him with a sigh.
“Are you okay or freaking out? Be honest.”
I shrugged. “There’s been something brewing between us for a while. I like him. A lot. And last night was…fucking amazing. But I woke up to a note and cold scrambled eggs in an empty house.”
“Was it a nice note?”
I smirked at Doug. “Too nice. Like ‘thanks for cleaning the room, here’s a tip’ nice.”
“I see. Is it gonna be weird at work now?”
“I’m not on for another couple days. If I don’t hear from him before then? Fuck yeah, it’s gonna be weird.”
“So call him.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t do that anymore.”
Doug doubled over, snickering. “What do you mean you don’t do that anymore? What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means I’ve learned restraint after what happened with Corey.”
“Oh, my God.” Doug’s head fell back and he placed his hand on his forehead. “The way you used to blow up Corey’s phone with texts when you guys were in a fight.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know.”
“You’d just keep calling and he’d start pacing and freaking out until he finally shut it off.”
“Good memories,” I said. “Thanks for that.”
“I’m sorry.” Doug chuckled then squeezed my shoulder. “But really? Because of that you’re dead set against contacting Duncan first? Like ever?”
“Dead set.”
“You think he’s into you?”
Linking my hands, I looked at Doug. “He was last night. But I’m not naïve. We both know that could mean nothing. He wanted sex. He got it.”
“Did you feel weird because it’s Corey’s uncle?”
“Not last night. I’ve been working for him a while now. I’m used to it, got that weird out of my system after spending so much time with him. I’m still aware of it of course. Sometimes he’ll smirk at me and I’ll see a resemblance. But to me he’s just…Duncan. This confusing guy who keeps throwing opportunity at me and making me feel special every other week. In between he just treats me like everyone else at Mythic. Friendly but businesslike.”
Doug winced. “He set you up with that new job in the garden bar, didn’t he?”
“Yeah.”
“You get a raise?”
My head dropped and I wrung my hands. “Yeah.”
Doug blew a breath out but said nothing.
I nudged him with my shoulder. “You can say it. Looks like I’m being bought. But it doesn’t feel like that with Duncan. Never feels like he expects anything from me. Last night he said he made a move because of the way I was looking at him at the party. And he’s right, I was laser beamed in on him. So technically I’m the one who went after him, not the other way around.”
“Maybe you’ve got the power.”
I looked at him. “I don’t feel like I’ve got the power.”
He grinned. “Maybe not. But you can act like you feel like you’ve got the power.”
“I’m not Corey. Head games are not my forte. Besides, how do I act like I feel like I’ve got the power? Strut around shaking my ass? And hey, look at you, Doug. Going all Corey diabolical.”
“I know. He’s been rubbing off on me for a whi
le now. I used to be such a nice guy.”
I laughed. “Okay tell me this. When you first slept with Stewart, you knew…or rather thought there was no chance for something more. Were you insecure after?”
“Shit yeah! Maybe because I’d just been told he not only had a boyfriend but that they both lived together upstairs from me.”
“We’ve never talked about this. When Corey and Stewart were together. The open relationship thing. We were both the side-guys.”
“Yeah. And both pining miserably.”
“So were you all cool and with the power when you were wooing Stewart?”
“Nah. But I did give him space. Let him come to me. It was a different situation though. I kept quite literally bumping into him because of our proximity at the house. I didn’t stand a chance.”
“Neither did he.”
He smiled sheepishly. “Guess so.”
“So you running off and getting married next?”
Doug turned to me. “You heard about Corey and Angelo.”
“From the horse’s mouth. Corey came and talked to me at Mythic.”
“Oh.” His brows rose. “Well that was very adult of him. And not at all like him.”
“Apparently Duncan suggested it. Thought I should hear it from Corey first. I don’t think he wanted to see me hurt. He wants me and Corey to be good with each other.”
“Ah, really? Sounds like Duncan does care about you. That you guys didn’t just randomly fall into bed.”
“Like I said. There’s been a connection between us for a while. What I don’t know is how many others at Mythic have experienced this same connection.”
“You think banging the help is his jam?”
“I hope not.”
“Can I ask…and this is not in a creepy way…but what was he like with you intimately?”
I looked at Doug and shrugged. “Enthusiastic, but surprisingly tender.”
“Any clues in his words? Like ‘Zach I’ve been waiting for this’ or ‘when can I see you again’ stuff?”
“Not really. Definitely no ‘when can I see you again’ happening. But…”
“But what?”
