by Nicole Dykes
I cover his hand with mine, looking him straight in the eye. “I never, ever believed it.”
He smiles and nods slowly. “I know. I know your heart isn’t ugly, Grady, but I thought you’d freak out.”
“I may have, but I wouldn’t have hurt you, Ry.” My eyes drop to his full lips and then return to focus on his eyes. “Not on purpose.”
“But now?”
“Now, what?” I whisper against his mouth because I’m really done fucking talking.
His hand moves to my chest, and he holds me at bay. “Now, are you freaking out?”
“Hell, no. I don’t give a flying fuck what my father thinks. Not at all. I want nothing to do with him or any of the hate his so called ‘church’ spews.”
I brush my lips over his while his hand is still between us. “What about your career? My career?”
“That could be tricky,” I admit.
“What is this?” His voice is shaky.
“Always need a definition, huh, Ry?”
He nods, and I can’t stop staring at him. I’d be lying if I hadn’t noticed him before, but now that I’ve been this close to him and kissed him freely—I can’t stop staring. I don’t want to. “If there’s no definition, someone will get hurt.”
He’s afraid. Ryan Bailey is one tough motherfucker, but I can tell just how scared he is right now. Afraid I’ll hurt him.
“Okay.” I think it over and nip on his earlobe, pulling a deep growl from him, the sound going straight to my balls and making my already aching dick harder.
Jesus, it’s only been an hour since I last came, and I’m dying for another release.
My hand slides over his bare, firm ass, and I squeeze, pulling him closer to me. “No more fucking baristas.” My voice is husky and full of rocks, but I don’t care. I want to make this clear.
He groans and rolls his eyes. “I didn’t fuck the barista, asshole.”
“Well, no more anyone . . .” I nip his jaw, and he growls, rolling us over so his body is on top of mine. I like the weight of him pressing down on me. “Only me.”
His eyes search mine, and he gives a slight nod. “Only me.”
I grin. “I suppose.”
“Asshole.” He leans down, his tongue finding my nipple and making it hard as he flicks over it, and then the fucker bites it.
“Ow, you’re the asshole.” He chuckles, but then pops it into his mouth, sucking hard and making my hips thrust forward with need. Our cocks slide together, both leaking from the tip and supplying enough slickness for us to grind against each other.
“Fuck,” I gasp and pull his face down to mine, biting and sucking on his lower lip. “Fuck fuck fuck.”
“Don’t come yet.”
“I’m no fucking chump.”
He chuckles again, his body sliding down as his tongue trails over my stomach, the tattoo on my hip, and then my inner thigh. Everywhere but where I desperately need him. “We have three weeks to explore. I’m going to go over every fucking inch of you.”
Holy shit. His mouth moves to my balls, sucking each one into his mouth, making me groan loudly, “Fuck, Ry. Don’t tease me.”
He releases my balls and grins up at me with a sureness I haven’t seen in him for a long time. “I’ve got you.” He moves to the head of my cock, covering it with his mouth and sucking it, his tongue moving over the tip.
“Fuck.”
I can feel the fucker smiling around my cock before he takes it deeper in his mouth. Opening his throat, he takes me deep like a fucking champ, bobbing up and down, making me lose my mind.
“Yes. Fuck, I’m close.” He pops off my dick, and I groan, looking down at him. “Don’t fucking stop.”
“How much do you trust me?”
“What?” I lean up on my elbows as he remains between my parted thighs. “So much. All the fucking trust. Why?”
He grins, slipping his finger into his mouth and wetting it, his spit sliding down the digit. “Because I’m going to make it really, really fucking good for you.”
His mouth takes my cock back deep into his throat before I feel the pad of his slick finger on my asshole. I clench tight, not sure I’m ready for that, but he doesn’t push in. He just teases as his mouth drives me fucking wild, and I relax slightly.
“Ry,” I moan softly, my fingers threading through his hair.
My hips start moving with his mouth as I come closer and closer to ecstasy. I watch him grind against the mattress, sucking me off while slowly pressing his finger inside my ass. It doesn’t hurt, maybe a little burn, but my focus is on his mouth as he tries to suck me dry.
When his finger is fully inside, he crooks it at an angle, hitting something inside me just fucking right, making my hips piston forward into his throat. He gags slightly, the rumble making my balls draw up tight. “Holy fucking shit. Do that again.”
I can feel him smiling, and he does it again. Pleasure zaps through me, up my spine and making my fucking toes curl.
“Oh, fuck. I’m going to come, Ry.”
He only sucks harder as he ruts against the mattress.
“Fuuuuck.” I come hard, releasing into his mouth, and I feel him swallowing around my cock and sending me even further over the edge.
When I catch my breath, he moves up my body, his mouth crashing to mine. I moan into the kiss, tasting my salty release and not giving a fuck. It’s with him.
“Jesus fucking Christ. That’s what I’ve been missing? All this time?”
He smiles, and I look down when I feel something wet on my thigh. His dick is spent, and I realize he came while sucking me off.
“Holy fuck, that’s hot.” I kiss him harder and tuck his body beneath mine.
I can’t believe I’ve wasted so much time not doing this.
“Now what?” I lift my head to look at Grady, who has one arm tucked behind his head in all his confident, cocky glory. My head is still resting on his chest, and I’m a sticky fucking mess, but I’m too satiated to move.
I can’t believe this is real, but there’s no denying that he wants this. At least his body does. And I’m a selfish, greedy bastard because I meant what I said—I’m going to enjoy every second of the next three weeks, even if what comes after will kill me.
“Now, we order food because I’m fucking starving.”
“You mean you haven’t become a domestic goddess in the past seven years?”
I shake my head at him but am unable to hold back my full smile. “Nope. You?”
An easy grin is plastered on his face, and I take a moment to bask in the glow of his happiness. “Fuck, no. Ordering sounds good to me.”
There are so many doubts running through my head, but I’m determined not to let them come out. We clean up, get dressed in sweats, and then order pizza. When it arrives, we go back to my bed and feast.
“So, your parents really pretend you aren’t gay?”
I lean back against my headboard, finishing a bigass bite of pizza. “Do we really have to talk about it?”
“Yeah.” He scoots closer to me. “Yeah, we do. I’ve missed a lot these past seven years, and I want to know it all, Ry.”
I turn to look him in the eyes, and I’m amazed at how he does that. No one can make me open up like Grady. No one. I’m so used to keeping this shit tucked away, but he’s here for a couple of days, and I’m willing to open up about everything. “Are you really that surprised? They were in the front pew of your father’s church every fucking Sunday since before you and I were born.”
He bristles, and I know his father is a sore subject, but so are my parents. “That’s still fucked up.”
“At least they don’t hate me. Or they don’t act like they do. They call once a week. They just avoid . . .”
“Part of you.”
“Goddamn it, Grady.” I sit up straighter, ready to bail, but manage to keep my ass on the bed. “I don’t want to think about this.”
“How long have you avoided thinking or talking about it? How much of yours
elf have you had to hide to keep other people happy?” His eyes bore into mine. “How much have you given up?”
“You’re one to talk.”
“Hey, I . . .” He must rethink what he was about to say because he pauses and then takes a deep breath. “I didn’t know I liked dick until recently. So it’s not something I had to hide.”
I smile inwardly, but then my smile actually makes it to my face. Because he could still deny what we did. Call it a fluke or say he wasn’t sure about what’s going on. But no, not Grady. He said he likes dick, and I can’t stop the goofy-ass grin from forming when I’ve had a perpetual straight face for so many years. “You’ve had to hide plenty. I mean hell, aren’t you currently in a fake relationship?”
He grabs his phone from the table next to my bed and checks it. “Yup. Still in a fake relationship as of now. I really need to call Vicky sometime.”
Even knowing it’s fake, I don’t know the circumstances, and it’s another punch to the heart. “See?”
His hand runs through his thick black hair that I now know is really fucking soft. “Okay, so I’ve had to hide some shit from the world, but not that. It’s bullshit that you can’t be who you are, Ry. Because who you are is really fucking great.”
I lean back against the headboard, settling in. “So are you. It’s the price we pay for fame. One I knew I’d have to deal with even before I accepted my scholarship.”
He finishes his pizza and then takes a drink of water before turning to me on the bed and cupping my face in his hands, but he doesn’t kiss me. He just gazes into my eyes and fractures my heart into more pieces. “It’s never been like this. Never.”
“What hasn’t?”
I don’t know if I can take the answer. “I’ve been with so many women. Probably too many. But it was never like this. Ever. I never got lost in just a fucking kiss. And the other stuff? It was never like that either.”
It’s too heavy. My heart actually fucking aches with hope threatening to etch it’s way inside, and I can’t take it. Instead, I take a play from Grady. “And I haven’t even fucked you yet.”
He cocks his head to the side, releasing me, and for a minute I think he’s going to call me on my shit, but he doesn’t. He’s Grady. “Hmm, have I said I’m going to let you fuck me?”
I laugh and lay my head against his chest, settling into the crook of his arm. “No. But you’re definitely going to fuck me.” I look up at him, seeing his throat is pulled tight with an emotion I’m betting is excitement. “If you want to.”
He nods his head comically fast. “I want that. I want to.” He swallows hard, his Adam’s Apple bobbing in his throat.
I grin. “Soon.”
“Soon,” he agrees, and I can see the nerves mixed with his excitement.
Holy shit, I managed to frazzle Grady fucking Bell.
Waking up next to Grady is something I could easily get used to. Which is fucking terrifying. Before I get too lost in watching his sleeping form sprawled out next to me, my phone rings, and I groan when I see it’s Jenny.
“Fuck me.”
“I’m up for it.”
I roll my eyes and chuckle when I’m met with a grin from my best friend and then grab my phone, answering it. “Hey, Jenny.”
“Oh, you’re alive. Good to know.”
I stretch, ignoring her tone because that’s just Jenny. “Yeah, lucky you. What’s up?”
“My. Cock.” Grady’s voice is quiet, but I still give him a shake of my head as he starts to trail kisses down my bare torso. Still, I don’t tell him to stop.
I’m not fucking stupid.
“You have the parade. In two fucking hours. You need to get your ass here.”
“Fuck.” Grady looks up at me with a curious look.
“The parade,” I say to Grady, but it’s Jenny who speaks next, probably thinking I’m talking to her.
“Yes. The parade. A victory parade in your honor.”
“And the team’s.”
Grady’s lips trail over my stomach and then back up, leaving kisses over the short beard I have going now.
“Yeah, whatever. I don’t get paid for any of them. So, as far as I’m concerned, it’s your victory.”
I nod absently as Grady starts to suck on my neck, and I can’t find any fucks to give about anything Jenny is saying. “I’ll be there.”
“You need to be early, Ryan. I mean it. Get your ass up and go.”
“Fine.” I hang up, placing my phone next to me and gripping the back of Grady’s hair, pulling his mouth to mine for a hungry good-morning kiss.
“Good morning.” He grins but doesn’t pull away, and my hand is still in his hair. “Parade is today?”
I nod, not wanting to go. “I’d rather stay here with you.”
“Nope.” He kisses my lips again and then jumps off the bed. “We’re going to that fucking parade. You earned it. You worked your ass off for it.”
I notice the hard-on he’s sporting in his sweats and stand up, slipping my hand under the waistband and grabbing his long cock. “I’d rather play.”
“Fuck, Ry,” he whispers as I start to stroke his length. But then his hand captures my wrist. “Parade. When does it start?”
“Two hours. We have time.”
He swallows, his eyes lowering to where I’m still grasping his erection. “No. Coffee. Parade. Then back here.”
I reluctantly release him because I can see I’m not going to win this argument even if he’s tempted. “Coffee?”
“Yeah, I know a place.” I roll my eyes, but he slaps my ass. “Come on. Shower. Then coffee.”
Thankfully, he agrees to a mutual jerk off session in the shower because who the fuck doesn’t have time for that? Seeing him watching me as I stroked my dick until I came was one of the hottest things in my life, but I know there’s a hell of a lot more to come.
When we get to the coffee shop, we’re greeted by Justin and his bubbly personality, but Grady cuts in front of me this time. “Well, good morning, Justin.”
Oh. Fuck. “Good morning, Mr. Bell. Black coffee for you today?”
Justin is just as sunny as always, but I see a flicker of something ornery in Grady’s eyes. “No.” He looks over at me and then back to Justin with a shit-eating grin on his handsome face. “You know, I’ve really been into trying new things lately, Justin. What would you recommend?”
Justin seems to take this as a barista challenge, but I know what Grady is really talking about, and it isn’t coffee. “Well, let me think.” Justin puts his finger on his chin. “Since you’re used to plain coffee, I wouldn’t get too crazy right away.”
Grady eyes me with hunger, making my dick stir in my jeans—the motherfucker—and then moves his attention back to Justin. “I don’t mind getting crazy, exploring my options.”
His voice has a low sultry tone. I look at Justin, who’s noticeably flushed but uncertain. “Um . . . sure.” His voice cracks, and I’m two seconds away from ripping Grady out of here. What the fuck is he doing? “In that case, I recommend the latte macchiato. It’s my specialty.” He smiles at me. “I’ve been trying to get this guy to try it for a while now, but the calories scared him away.”
Grady’s eyes drag over my arms and torso in a lazy, way too dangerous way before he turns his attention back to Justin. “Yeah, I guess you don’t get that body with those kind of drinks.”
“Jesus Christ,” I say it low enough, but Grady hears me.
“Um.” Justin is clearly flustered now. “Right.”
“I’ll take my usual, Justin. Thank you.”
He busies himself with our order, and I turn to Grady, my jaw clenched. “What the hell are you doing?”
He shrugs. “Just having a little fun.”
Bullshit.
We grab our coffees, and I pay, walking outside with Grady toward my truck before I dig into what the fuck that was. “Seriously? Fun. He’s a nice guy. What are you trying to do?”
“Nice?” Grady’s eyes meet mi
ne, and I see fire in them. Not fun. Just fucking fire. It’s hot, I’m not going to lie.
“Yeah. Nice.”
“He wants to fuck you. Or you to fuck him. Whatever. And it’s bullshit . . .” he says, standing too fucking close so he can look me right in the eye, and it’s intense, too intense for being out in public, “that I can’t just pull you into my arms and let that fucker know that you’re mine.”
“Yours?” I nearly choke the word out.
“Mine.” His voice is a deep growl that shoots straight to my already interested dick.
But before I can respond, a car pulls up, and I instinctively back up and turn away before the photographer jumps out.
Fuck. That was too close.
“Hey, Ryan. You guys on your way to the parade?”
“You know it!” Grady shouts out, holding up his cup of coffee, winking at the camera before climbing into the truck.
I’m too flustered and way too hard to answer as I retreat behind the wheel and start the truck, closing the door.
“You better wave to the camera or they’re going to peg you as an asshole.”
“Goddamn it.” I know he’s right and make sure to plaster a fake smile on my face, giving a wave before pulling out of my parking spot.
Fucking Grady. He’s going to out me less than an hour after waking up in bed with me for the first time.
Yesterday was awesome watching Ry and his teammates celebrate their victory with the entire metro area. The place was packed full and a sea of blue.
Last night was even better, sharing his bed and exploring each other’s bodies. We haven’t gone too far yet, but I’m fucking ready.
More than ready.
No part of me cares that his body is male and not female like I’m used to. His hard edges and muscular lines turn me the fuck on, along with the fact that it’s Ry—my best friend.
“Morning.” God, I even love his fucking voice. It’s deep and low, rumbling in my ear.
“Good morning.” I open my eyes and see him peering down at me like he can’t believe I’m here. “Are you ready for a repeat of last night?” I waggle my eyebrows and move my body so it’s resting on top of his.
