Brad’s grin widened. “I’ll have to get the lube, and I’m not sure you can restrain yourself until I do.”
Derek closed his eyes, willing himself not to come…yet. “I can,” he whispered.
Brad slowly unwrapped his fingers. Leaning over, he kissed Derek. “I know you can.” With that said, he got off the bed again, returning with a tube of lube. “Lift your legs.”
Derek did, resting them on Brad’s shoulders, his eyes now open so he could watch while Brad spread lube on his fingers and slowly pushed one into Derek then a second, gently readying him. Then he lubed his thick, pulsing cock before pressing the head to Derek’s entrance.
They locked gazes as Brad entered. When he paused, Derek whispered, “More. All of you,” biting his lip against the momentary pain. Brad bent to kiss where he’d bitten then to kiss him again. For a long moment, the kiss deepened then Brad moved deeper into Derek until he was fully engulfed.
“So good,” Brad moaned. “Always, so good.”
“Please…Please…” Derek thought he’d die if Brad didn’t move right now.
His words were rewarded. Brad pulled back then drove in hard—again and again. Delicious pain and incredible pleasure rolled through Derek. He fought coming, wanting to wait for Brad, and failed. He cried out when his orgasm flooded his senses, barely aware when Brad’s shout joined his moments later.
“Damn,” Derek managed to say, when he could speak again.
Brad nodded, still gasping for breath as he collapsed on Derek. He kissed him, barely, as they were still catching their breath. Then he seemed to realize Derek’s hands were still tied and he swiftly undid them. “Are you…? Was it all right, what I did?”
Derek smiled, wrapping his arms around Brad now that he could. “I wouldn’t have thought it would be, if you’d asked ahead of time, but yeah, it was. It made things so much more…erotic?”
“Thank goodness. It was just…I saw them in a shop window and got this wild idea.”
Derek smiled, kissing him while murmuring against his lips, “Wild ideas are good.”
They cuddled, giving each other light kisses, until Brad finally got up. As he went into the bathroom he said, “I’m all for spending the rest of our vacation in bed, but right now I’m starving.”
Derek nodded, getting up to join him. “Starving and sticky. A fast shower then we see what the town has to offer in the way of food?”
“I think I can handle that.”
Chapter 15
Derek wasn’t disappointed he and Brad didn’t actually spend the rest of their vacation in bed. Instead he enjoyed the fact they decided to continue on as they’d begun, except on foot. Brad had Larson courier Derek a new weapon, since his old one was presumably somewhere at the bottom of the canal. They hiked the route of the canal, spending their nights in whatever town they came upon at the time. When their vacation was over, they returned to Denver.
That same evening, Brad had Derek set up in a safe house where he would stay until the trial was over. The reason was two-fold. One, because they were fairly certain the men who had attacked them had to be in the pay of the Medina cartel. It was the only thing that made sense.
“For sure, they’ll try again if they get the chance,” Brad said.
Derek agreed. “Since our house is where they’d expect to find me, and they have to be desperate now, I’d just as soon we make it clear I’m not going to be there. Bullet holes are not my interior decorating statement of choice.”
“Exactly. We can also use this to our advantage to find out who our mole is. Once you’re settled in, I’ll let it out what’s going on and where you are.”
“How’s that going to help us catch him if you let everyone know?”
“Because I’ll feed different locations to each of the men who could be the one we’re looking for. I had a long talk with Larson this afternoon, and we narrowed it down to five logical possibilities. It’s not as if everyone in the Company has access to the information on who our undercover people are.”
Derek nodded. “True. Just the controls do, but that would only be four men. Who’s the fifth person?”
“The programmer who set up the security system for all the information files. He’s the only one other than the controls who can access them.”
“Damn, now that’s someone I’d never have thought of.”
Brad smiled wryly. “Me neither. Thankfully, Larson did. So each man will be told where you supposedly are being hidden. If we’re lucky, one of the Medina hit men will show up to take you out. Where that happens will let us know who the mole is.”
“That sounds as if it should work.”
“It has to.” Brad’s expression tightened. “I don’t want to be worrying about your safety, or that of any of the other men working undercover, because someone got greedy and sold Company info.”
“You’ll get him, while I get a second vacation in a palatial safe house with catered meals and champagne and…”
Brad looked at him, shaking his head. Then he smiled. “Only you would look at it that way.”
“It got the sour look off your face, so it was worth acting the clown.”
“You always manage to do that. I think it’s why I keep you around.”
Derek grinned. “That and my sexy body.”
“Speaking of sexy bodies…”
Derek grinned. “You’re going to take mine now?”
“Nope. I’m going to tell you to get it into the bedroom and pack up. We have to get you out to your ‘palatial’ new residence so I can get things rolling.”
Derek knew better than to argue. It was getting late and this was more important than his goofing around any longer. So he packed a bag and twenty minutes later he was slipping out the back door, under the cover of darkness, to meet Larson in the alley behind the house. From there he was transported to a very utilitarian safe house.
* * * *
Derek was relieved when the sting went down as planned—a joint effort between the Company and the Feds. A Medina hit man showed up at one of the baited safe houses and was caught, much to his shock and dismay. Even if it hadn’t been a set up to find out who the mole was, Derek knew they would have anyway. The man they captured was certain he’d been ratted out by the mole and readily gave him up. It turned out to be the programmer, which as far as Derek was concerned, was a good thing. Finding out one of the controls had been the mole would definitely have hurt everyone’s morale.
Derek remained in seclusion, under Federal protection, until the trial was over. Due in great part to his testimony, both men were convicted and received stiff prison sentences.
He returned home two days before his birthday. His real one, which was not April fifteenth, the date he’d given Mel years ago, soon after they had first met.
It didn’t take him too long to figure out something was up. He just didn’t know what and Brad wouldn’t tell him, other than to say they were going out to dinner to celebrate the big day, since Derek would be turning thirty.
When the evening arrived, Brad insisted they dress in suits and ties. That, in and of itself, had Derek worried. They never dressed up except for weddings, which were rare, and funerals, which unfortunately happened more often—although not enough to have put much wear and tear on the suits.
“Why so fancy,” Derek asked, as he checked how he looked in the mirror.
“Because it’s not every day you turn thirty.”
“It’s not every day I turn twenty-nine either but I got away with just slacks and shirt for that.”
Brad just grinned in reply as he looked Derek over. “Hold still,” he said, going over to adjust the tie. “There, now it’s perfect. Are you ready?”
“Yeah. Where are we going?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
‘There’ turned out to be one of Denver’s best restaurants. As the hostess led them to their table, Derek whispered, “You are really going all out.”
“Of course. It’s not ever
y day you—”
“Turn thirty. I get that.”
“So shush and enjoy.”
When they got to the table, it was already occupied, with only two empty chairs remaining. The four men sitting there stood, smiles on their faces. Charlie was the first to say ‘Happy Birthday’, with Mel echoing the sentiment. Larson followed on his heels. It was the fourth man there whose presence shocked Derek.
“I figured I needed a couple of days away from New Orleans,” Samson said, grinning. “And I couldn’t think of a better place to be than with you on your birthday.”
Derek turned to look at Brad, who was smiling ear to ear. “Now you know what my surprise was,” Brad told him, waiting for him to sit down.
“I think…No, I know this is officially the best birthday I’ve ever had,” Derek replied softly, hugging him.
“And it’s hardly begun,” Brad said, returning the hug, and adding a kiss before they both took their seats. When they had, Brad said quietly, “I invited someone else too, but they said they couldn’t make it.”
“Who?” Derek asked, since he couldn’t think of anyone they both knew that Brad would ask to come.
“The Whites.” Brad chuckled. “They had no clue who I was when I called, but all I had to do was tell them I knew you. They were excited to hear you even remembered them but unfortunately, according to Mr. White, his wife is too frail to travel even this far.”
“Damn,” Derek whispered. “I wish…”
Brad hugged him. “Wish granted. You and I are going to pay them a visit this next weekend. Mr. White said they’d even have a cake for you, although he apologized and said it would be from the bakery.”
Derek grinned ear to ear. “I think I can handle that.”
“Thought you could,” Brad replied, giving him a quick kiss before they got back to celebrating Derek’s birthday.
The meal was delicious, the conversation lively. When it was time for dessert, their waitress brought over a cake so large there was barely room for it in the center of the table. Much to Derek’s embarrassment, she then led the rest of the waiters and waitresses in a round of ‘Happy Birthday’, with his friends and half the other customers joining in.
“I have one more present for you, if you’ll accept it,” Brad said, almost shyly as he stood, holding out his hand for Derek to join him.
“You’re not,” Derek whispered.
“I am.” Brad took a small, velvet box from his jacket pocket. Then, dropping to one knee, he opened it. “Derek White, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
“Yes,” Derek said, so softly he wondered if even Brad could hear him. “Yes!” he repeated, his voice louder, firmer, filled with conviction. “Yes.”
Brad slipped the ring on Derek’s finger then stood, wrapping him in a tight embrace as they kissed to the shouts of congratulations from everyone around them.
“I love you so much,” Brad said.
Derek smiled, keeping his arm around Brad’s waist. “I know. I mean, if you didn’t, well this wouldn’t have happened. We wouldn’t have happened. I’d have been stuck having my birthday dinner at the diner—which wouldn’t have been bad.” He winked at Mel before returning his attention to Brad. “But without you, it would have been just another day. So, in case you had any doubts, I love you in return, more than you’ll ever know.”
“To the happy pair,” Charlie said, raising the glass of champagne the waitress had poured. The others did the same, toasting them. “Now go forth and multiply,” Charlie added.
“Umm, Charlie,” Samson said, “I’m not certain that’s an option.”
Charlie grinned. “True, but hell isn’t that how the toast is supposed to end?”
“Yeah, Charlie, it is,” Brad agreed, clapping him on the shoulder. “So everyone, drink up, and let’s see if we can make inroads into the cake.”
THE END
ABOUT EDWARD KENDRICK
Born and bred in Cleveland, I earned a degree in technical theater, later switched to costuming, and headed to NYC. Finally seeing the futility of trying to become rich and famous in the Big Apple, I joined VISTA—Volunteers in Service to America—ending up in Chicago for three years. Then it was on to Denver where I put down roots and worked as a costume designer until I retired in 2007.
I began writing a few years ago after joining an online fanfic group. Two friends and I then started a group for writers, where they could post any story they wished no matter the genre or content. Since then, for the last five years, I’ve been writing for publication—my first book came out in February of 2011. Most, but not all, of my work is M/M, either mildly erotic or purely ‘romantic.’ More often than not it involves a mystery or action/adventure, and is sometimes paranormal to boot.
For more information, visit edwardkendrick.blogspot.com.
ABOUT JMS BOOKS LLC
JMS Books LLC is a small queer press with competitive royalty rates publishing LGBT romance, erotic romance, and young adult fiction. Visit jms-books.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!
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