Bad Attitude

by K.A. Mitchell

  “This doesn’t feel good?” Gavin kissed under Jamie’s ear while rubbing circles over his nipples with hard palms.

  “What is this, Fucking For Slackers?”

  Gavin let out a bass laugh that Jamie felt everywhere, especially as solid pulses inside his ass, then clamped an arm across Jamie’s chest to the opposite shoulder like a lifesaving tow. “Have it your way.”

  The strokes were hard, deep, long, and Jamie was glad of the hold that kept his head from slamming into the tiles. But it was good, and Jamie liked it like this, bodies slamming together, a little pain every time Gavin bottomed out, and the endless rush of pleasure from the friction. Jamie could do this until his ass went numb, riding out the sensations, letting Gavin fuck himself to orgasm.

  Then Gavin’s motion shifted, and he started shorter strokes, nailing Jamie’s gland, hips pistoning for maximum horsepower, and damn, this was good too. Sent him right up the ramp, and it wouldn’t take much stroking to put him over.

  “Don’t.” Gavin hummed the word into Jamie’s ear.

  Was he nuts? Fuck it. This was too good to back off from. Gavin could take his time after Jamie was done.

  “Switch,” Gavin panted and stepped back.

  “Now?” Jamie cranked his head to stare over his shoulder. His legs were barely holding him up. He doubted he could manage anything like a decent fuck.

  Gavin turned Jamie to face him. “As much as I’d like to believe I could get it up for round three, I’m not sure I can. And I want your fat dick in my ass when I come again.”

  It should have sounded filthy, but Gavin made it matter-of-fact, especially when he reached back out of the shower and slapped the condom and lube into Jamie’s hand.

  As Jamie stood still, sucking in deep breaths of the humid air, Gavin put a hand on each of Jamie’s shoulders before sliding wet palms down to grip his biceps.

  “I remember how strong you were. Holding us both up. Me and Beach. Hauling us toward the boats. I remember that.”

  “Thought you remembered my mouth.” Jamie felt the corner quirk up. The power of money wasn’t the only reason Gavin usually got his way. Jamie was seeing the charm that played a big part of that.

  “That too.” Gavin leaned in and kissed him.

  Jamie had felt off balance before, and that kiss robbed him of any sense he had left. Stole what little blood oxygen was getting to his brain. He might as well be high; he felt that stupid as he fought to fill his lungs with the steam, as every pulse under his skin ached with wanting to come, now, God, right the fuck now. It was all Jamie could do to not grab his dick and finish himself off.

  “Besides.” Gavin crowded in close. “You told me you could take me up against a wall, legs around your waist.”

  Jamie was sure he’d said with those “fancy pants around your ankles”, but he didn’t have much breath to spend arguing.

  “Do it.” Gavin’s lashes dipped low as if he was taking Jamie’s measure again.

  The bastard might as well have read whatever psych eval was locked up in the captain’s office that kept Jamie from making that next promotional level. Because Gavin sure knew which buttons to push.

  Jamie tested his footing on the weird floor made up of big flat stones. Those must have been hell on Gavin’s knees.

  It took a little maneuvering. Rather than slam Gavin’s back against one of those bullets, they had to move to a half-tiles, half-glass section of the wall. Gavin glanced over his shoulder, then back at Jamie like he knew Jamie was calculating the risk.

  “It’ll make one hell of a story for the paramedics. Haven’t you ever wanted to fuck someone through a wall?”

  Jamie wondered how much of that this was. It felt more physical-fitness test and mental challenge than sex, and Jamie was determined to meet everything Gavin could dish out.

  “What the fuck, right?” He held on to Gavin’s ass and hips as he hiked one leg around Jamie’s waist.

  One hand on Jamie’s shoulder, Gavin used the other to guide them together. Despite the acrobatics, the fuck was much easier than the setup. Gavin let out one hell of a groan when he sank down, then his jaw clenched tight as he brought his other leg up to lock them around Jamie’s waist.

  Jamie watched Gavin breathe through those clenched teeth until his face finally relaxed. “Oh fuck, that’s good.”

  That was cue enough. Jamie started fucking, and goddamn it was good. He didn’t think he’d ever been deeper, and maybe it was because of waiting so long, but everything about this fuck was sweet. The way Gavin’s lean body clung to him, shuddered against him. The way the steam and effort made Jamie dizzy, made him feel like the only thing real was that hot, tight grip on his dick, the friction between them. He slammed up into him faster and faster, leg and hip muscles burning from the effort, but it felt so good he didn’t care. Gavin was grinding down to meet him, harsh gasps punching through the steam.

  Gavin’s pale body gleamed, beaded with water, and the air got so thick it was like they were breathing each other’s skin, panting mouths full of the taste of sex and sweat.

  Jamie felt it on his dick first, not the hard pulse of Gavin’s orgasm, but the way Gavin went still, ass soft enough for Jamie to slide in deeper, then gripping hard. Gavin’s eyes popped open, and he looked down at Jamie for a second before his whole body shook, dick spurting between them, a rope hitting Jamie’s shoulder. Jamie released the tight grip he had on his own orgasm and let himself go. A few strokes, and it burst out of him, tearing free and flooding into Gavin, into the rubber, and for some strange reason Jamie wished that barrier wasn’t there—not for his own sensation, but so that Gavin felt the heat of Jamie’s come.

  He peeled his hands away first, separating their bodies carefully.

  Gavin winced as his feet came back down onto the stones. “Well, that might leave a mark.”

  Jamie peered around Gavin’s hips. The grip where Jamie’s hands had been was dark with blood under the skin. “Might. Can you stand okay?”

  Gavin gave Jamie a look he couldn’t read before saying, “I don’t rate a—what was the word? Kochanie?”

  “What?” Jamie was hoping he didn’t embarrass himself by collapsing on the bath rug, and Gavin was asking him…what? “It’s Polish. My grandmother— Huh.” Jamie felt a smile start on his face. Was Gavin jealous of the way Jamie had talked to Tommy? Jamie drew on a reserve of strength to slide his fingers into Gavin’s hair and drag him close enough to whisper onto his lips. “When I was in you, I couldn’t remember much English, let alone Polish I haven’t heard in ten years.” He felt Gavin’s answering smile. “Or did you want me to treat you like a piece of boy ass?”

  “Depends on whether said piece of boy ass gets to fuck yours?”

  “Never.”

  “Then I’m good. I’ll admit I can barely walk if you will,” Gavin said.

  “Done. That bedroom still open, you think?”

  “Hope so. Is your presence required elsewhere soon?”

  Jamie tossed the rubber and stared at Gavin, hoping that was going to make sense in a minute.

  “Do you have to be at work in the morning?” Gavin lobbed a towel at him.

  Jamie shook his head and scrubbed at himself.

  “Then we can pretend to hold each other up until we’re horizontal.” Gavin used a hell of a lot of words for Let’s go pass out.

  The room was empty and the bed was soft, the cover-type thing Gavin dragged over them in the quiet darkness softer still. Jamie knew he should drive them home, but the idea of a few minutes of recovery sounded too sweet to pass up.

  He thought he’d be asleep as soon as he stretched out, but he was too aware of the strangeness around him. Aware of the body next to his. The sound of Gavin’s breath. The faint-but-still-there smell of leather and evergreen.

  The sound of Gavin turning cued him in to the fact that there was going to be some pillow talk. Gavin’s eyes glittered in the dark. “Do you even like me?”

  “What kind of question is th
at?”

  “Not a particularly complicated one. I don’t consider it a requirement for sex, but it would be interesting to know if I still fill you with disgust.”

  “You never did. Why does it matter? Is this that I-saved-your-life thing?” Jamie turned.

  Gavin had flipped the lights off before climbing onto the bed, and that made his face harder to read.

  In answer, Gavin reached out to touch the spot where Colton’s tattoo was. “You said someone saved yours once. I thought you might understand.”

  Jamie flinched. “No.”

  Gavin’s hand jerked away as if Jamie’s skin burned him.

  “Gavin, that mess—pulling you guys out—that’s just my job, you know. Nothing personal. I knew what I was doing, no risk involved. It’s what I do.” Jamie found Gavin’s chin, tipped his face toward him. “But to answer your question. Yeah. I do.”

  “You sound surprised.”

  “I am. Kind of.”

  Gavin snorted like an impatient horse. “A ringing endorsement if ever there was one.”

  “Well, for one thing, you’re not too damned tall. And…” Jamie leaned up on one elbow, “…did you really go in to try to save your buddy?”

  “No, I really fell in trying to stop him. But after I found myself in the water, I did whatever I could to save us both.”

  “So you saved him. I respect that. It’s something I would do. But the thing is, I would never find myself in that situation. I don’t take risks for fun.”

  “Are you telling me everything about tonight went the way you planned?” Gavin’s teeth gleamed for an instant as he smiled.

  “Some of it was better. Some worse.”

  The Flipper noise started up again. Less of a surprise this time but still. The guy had to be faking it, but who would make that sound on purpose?

  “That would be some of the worse,” Jamie said.

  “Ahh.” Gavin settled back against the pillow. “I think Flipper’s in the sling. If they break out the poppers, he can go longer.”

  “Man.” Jamie shook his head.

  “Is this the kind of situation you don’t find yourself in, Officer Donnigan?”

  “Yeah, it is. It’s not like someone didn’t out me years ago, spotting me at Grand Central on a vice raid.” Being outed hadn’t been as bad working the harbor as it would have been if he were a beat cop. Smaller group, and they already knew him. Still, he’d settled more than one asshole’s hash who thought a fag couldn’t answer a punch. Jamie blew out a breath. “But drugs are a different ballgame.”

  “You can leave anytime.”

  “How will you get back?”

  Gavin shrugged against the sheets. “I’ll find a ride.”

  “Yeah. ’Cause that worked out so well last time.”

  “At least you’re not on duty. Or can you be called in?”

  “It’s the end of my forty-eight. Nothing short of invasion until three tomorrow.” Jamie fought off a yawn, but a little huff of it slipped out.

  “Or a Montgomery falling into the Patapsco?”

  “That too. Which is why I’m driving you home.”

  “Such dedication to your duty to serve and protect.”

  Jamie rolled his eyes and flopped to his back. “I should leave right now.”

  “So why don’t you?”

  Jamie wasn’t big on bullshit, though the reason wasn’t something he would normally admit if it weren’t that this whole party, the fucking-Gavin parts included, felt so far from reality that he might as well have been in a dream. “I’m not sure my legs are ready to work,” he mumbled.

  Gavin didn’t laugh, just made a sound like a sigh. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  Jamie shouldn’t have been surprised to get another Colton dream. But at least it was a good one, not the one full of the wet, crunching sound of skull hitting rock, echoed by a parrot’s call as the jungle steamed around them. Tonight he got the one of their first kiss. Jamie hadn’t been sure, convinced Colton’s flirting was only a big joke, even after the first mutual jerk-off. That kiss sealed it. Jerking off was just helping a buddy out. But buddies didn’t kiss. Colton grinned like it was nothing but a dare right up until the minute Jamie kissed him.

  He woke in a strange bed with the sound of Colton’s laugh in his head. Took you long enough, Donny. What’s a guy gotta do, hit you with a brick?

  It wasn’t full light yet, but dawn was definitely on the horizon.

  He swung his legs out of bed. He’d check his phone and get dressed before coming back to wake up Gavin.

  But as he got to the door, Gavin said, “Did you change your mind about delivering me safely to my door?”

  “No, I—”

  “It’s fine.” Gavin rolled to his feet, lean muscle and soft cock on display. “You don’t owe me any sort of explanation.”

  Too right. Except…had Jamie tasted that smooth chest enough? Run his tongue over those whorls of hair? Under the broad shoulders, Gavin was a slender guy, but he had a nice curve to his ass. And his thighs, yeah, they packed some serious muscle. Jamie’s ass could still testify to the power thrusts from Gavin’s lower body.

  As he’d said to Quinn and Eli, Jamie’d had more than one-night stands, but he knew that’s what this was. A party. Fun. Still it seemed weird that he’d never stand close enough to smell leather and evergreen on Gavin’s skin again. Dive into one of those long kisses the guy seemed to like so much. Was so good at.

  Jamie squared his shoulders. “I was just getting my clothes. You ready to head out?”

  “Sure.” Gavin retrieved his shorts from somewhere out in the hall and led the way back toward the kitchen.

  There was a man passed out on the couch and four guys standing around the kitchen island. None of them was Gavin’s brother-in-law, thank God. It shouldn’t have bugged Jamie, no skin off his nose, but it did. Maybe because of what he’d seen go down with Quinn and that closeted asshole he’d been tied to for ten years.

  Jamie’s clothes were still piled on the table near the door where he’d left them. The tall blond—Soren, Jamie remembered—raised a coffee mug in greeting. Tommy, wearing a long T-shirt that didn’t cover his bare ass or dick, put down a tall glass full of green sludge and came over to drape his arm across Jamie’s shoulders as he was trying to step into his jeans.

  “You guys leaving?” Tommy gave Jamie a squeeze before moving on to kiss Gavin. Really kiss Gavin. Up on tiptoe, tongue and grind and the hands in Gavin’s hair. Tommy stepped back and said in a low voice, “You know we keep a box of new toothbrushes in the bathroom.”

  “And your wheatgrass, broccoli, kiwi taste is a great eye-opener?” Gavin swatted Tommy’s ass.

  With a laughed “Ooo,” Tommy stuck his ass out farther. Gavin smacked him again, a little harder.

  Jamie had paused to run a tongue over his own slightly furry teeth, so he’d barely finished pulling his shirt over his head when he got a chest full of Tommy.

  “Protect me.”

  “From this?” Jamie shifted Tommy to the side to land two open-palmed blows on the light pink cheeks. “Or this?” Jamie squeezed Tommy’s ass and hauled him into a kiss.

  Tommy was laughing too hard to get a good kiss in, and Jamie let him go.

  “Oh, I like him,” Tommy said to Gavin. “Bring him around again. Hell…” Tommy looked back at Jamie, “…you don’t ever need an invite. Drop by anytime on your own.” Tommy waved toward the guys leaning on the countertop. “I mean, have you seen his cock?”

  Soren, who had, sipped his coffee. The other two looked at Jamie with some interest. So what? He was supposed to just whip it out for display on command?

  It occurred to Jamie that this was the kind of thing he’d have labeled his number-one wet dream. Nothing but hot guys and easy sex, without putting up with cover charges or misleading Grindr photos. Not a lasagna pan or a hint of domesticity in sight. And here Jamie was tugging on his boots and jacket in a hurry to get out the door.

  Maybe it was a
case of being locked in a candy store. Too much sugar could make you sick. Jamie tried to picture Gavin in Quinn’s kitchen and suspected Gavin would feel more comfortable there than Jamie did here.

  “Thanks, Tommy.” Jamie nodded. “You ready?” He tipped his head toward Gavin.

  “Try not to miss me too desperately.” Gavin stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jacket. None of his friends but Tommy waved as Gavin followed Jamie to the door. Guess even a whole night of fucking and partying didn’t leave Gavin’s buddies in a particularly good mood.

  Chapter Nine

  Gavin settled back in his seat as Jamie drove his beloved truck off the peninsula. If he had difficulty navigating through the predawn mist back to Holly Neck, Gavin assumed Jamie was perfectly capable of asking for assistance. Some early commuters joined them as they left Edgemere. People with jobs, destinations, agendas. They might be frustrated or bored or full of self-importance, but at least they had somewhere to go.

  As they merged onto I-695, many of the cars headed south for the Key Bridge. Gavin wondered if he’d ever be able to stop the hiccup in his diaphragm when he saw the bridge. The tight spasm of pain wasn’t fear, merely a marker, a reminder. Nothing like almost dying to find out how little anything mattered. Then came the guilt when he thought of Beach still in the land between alive and dead, a silent witness to the fact that Gavin’s visits did nothing to mitigate his failure to keep Beach from jumping that night.

  As always, there was liquor or other chemical enhancements to numb or wash those feelings away. And for the few minutes of sex, it usually did matter that Gavin was there, and if it didn’t, then he didn’t care as long as it was good.

  As they passed the exit sign for the bridge, Gavin felt Jamie’s gaze drift toward him.

  “Something on your mind?” Gavin challenged.

  “Nah.” Jamie looked at him full for a second, then back at the road. “Man, getting laid doesn’t seem to put you in a very good mood.”

  “How do you know? This may be my utterly thrilled expression.” Gavin tipped his head slightly as Jamie glanced over again.