Living in Fast Forward

by BA Tortuga

  “Easy. Easy.” Jeremy helped him up, walked him over to sit. “I’ll get you a peanut butter sandwich, and then I’ll figure out lunch, okay?”

  “Uh-huh.” That was kind of entertaining. Like being stoned. Hollis moved his hand, watching the little light trails following his fingers.

  “Shit, Hollis. You can’t toss your breakfast anymore. You need the calories. You’re looking good.”

  “Yeah?” Scratching his belly, he leaned back on the little couch, letting his legs sprawl. “You’re just a slave driver.”

  “There’s an article about you on the web, you know. About how this is your best tour ever.” A plate with peanut butter toast was pressed into his hands.

  “You must be bored if you’re reading about me.” Oh. Sticky goodness. Peanut butter was the one indulgence Jeremy let him have, and he savored it. Even if it was that organic shit.

  “It’s what I do, man. You’re my focus, like it or not.” That cough started again, Jeremy popping a handful of vitamins or pills or some shit.

  “You sound like you need a hot shower and some honey lemon tea, man. Or you’re gonna be worthless in Vegas.” He felt like a shit, kinda, for being jealous. He’d chosen his path, he loved his job, and he needed to quit whining.

  “Yeah. Maybe I can find someone who won’t mind if I wear a mask.”

  “You’re weird, man. Hey, maybe you could get you one of those Cirque people. Then you could both wear a mask.” That cracked him right up.

  “Creepy!” Jeremy snorted, digging around in the fridge. “Chicken soup? Hummus? Pasta?”

  “Hummus? Man, it’s still before noon. Go easy.” He’d be breathing fire all night the way that little fucker made hummus.

  “Well, there’s stuff for strawberry and pineapple smoothies?”

  “Yeah. And maybe another sandwich.” He watched Jeremy bebop around, admiring the way the guy’s shorts fit.

  “That works. What are you going to want before your concert? There’s going to be a little kitchen set up in the arena.” Jeremy bent over, pulling strawberries out of the little fridge.

  Damn. That was a fine ass. And now he felt like it was okay to stare. “Uh. I’m sure I can find something… healthy. Yeah.”

  “Uh-huh. Stay away from the deep-fried crap, please. It’ll coat your throat.”

  Coat. His. Throat.

  Lord.

  “I’ll have a salad.” With bacon and cheddar and ranch. That was just the ticket. And a biscuit.

  “Uh-huh. Have some fish with your bacon.” Juice and ice and fruit went into the blender, and damned if the thing didn’t smell good.

  “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be as good as I can.” Maybe he’d bum a cigarette for dessert.

  Jeremy brought him a glass, then plopped down in the chair, eyes closing.

  “You should have tea. I’m telling you. My momma always made it for me when I was sick.” That stuff had been magic.

  “Yeah. Moms are good that way.”

  “You close with your mom?” Hollis called his mom every week, like clockwork. She loved to hear about life on the road and scold him for being too wild.

  “Sort of. I come from a huge family. She has a lot of grandchildren to keep her busy.”

  “But none from you, huh?” His own momma bemoaned that. A lot.

  “Nope. I have six straight sisters and five straight brothers. I can be the random queer one.”

  “Damn. That’s a lot of sibs.” That would have made him insane. “I have one of each.”

  Had a sister. Whatever. They didn’t form a basketball team.

  “Lucky man.” Jeremy shrugged and winked. “They’re devout Catholics. The bad part? I have forty-two nieces and nephews.”

  “Jesus. Thanksgiving must be a zoo at your place.” For just a minute, he let himself think on that, him showing up at Jeremy’s for a holiday. It made him laugh right out loud.

  “Yep. I always just get a hotel room, if I’m not working.” The way that voice sounded made him think maybe Jeremy worked a lot. The smoothie ended up being pretty good. No weird shit seemed to be floating in it, so Hollis drank it all down. Jeremy grinned over. “See? It didn’t kill you.”

  “Yeah, yeah. So, do I need to do anything else before I go rest up?” He had that damned double show… and Jeremy was going to get laid.

  “I had a massage planned, but I don’t want to give you my cold, so you’ll have to wait for tomorrow.”

  “I’ll need it tomorrow.” By midnight he’d be feeling like hammered shit. “Well, I’m gonna get the guitar down and do some scales and shit if you want a lesson.”

  “Yeah? You sure it won’t stress you out before you go do your thing?”

  “Nah. I need to warm up gradually these days.” Look at them, not snarking. Go them. “Come on, get the small acoustic and the big Fender, and we’ll pick a little.”

  “Okay. Okay, thanks.” He got a real smile and a nod, and goddamn if he didn’t smile back.

  He must be losing his edge.

  Either that or the smoothie’d been drugged.

  Chapter Six

  DUDE, VEGAS had been a bust.

  Vegas.

  LA.

  Santa Barbara.

  Oakland.

  Fucking Salt Lake.

  Well, okay. Salt Lake was a gimme. They didn’t let queers in Utah.

  Still.

  Damn.

  Jeremy pulled hard on his joint, watching the world fly by the window. If he didn’t get a bag of gummi bears or a good, hard fuck soon, he was going to blow a vein.

  Seriously.

  He didn’t see how Hollis fucking did this thirty-two weeks a year. He was about to go out of his fucking mind. Or die of blue balls because, damn. Six weeks with him and Hollis was looking fine.

  Flat tummy.

  Tight ass.

  Thighs like tree trunks.

  And that jawline?

  Shit.

  He slid his hand down his belly, chuckling as his mind landed on Hollis’s belly that was utterly more hairy than his waxed one.

  It shouldn’t be sexy.

  It shouldn’t.

  It was, though. Damn.

  The little door to Hollis’s bedroom sprang open, the man himself appearing as if Jeremy had summoned him. Naked as a jaybird, Hollis started toward the kitchen but stopped dead when he caught sight of Jeremy.

  Well, fuck him. Okay. Okay, act casual. Real casual. He dropped his hand, hiding the joint and his hard-on, all in one motion.

  Okay. All you have to do is stand up and make for your bed.

  Up, Simba.

  “You’re up early,” Hollis said, rotating his neck and bouncing on his toes.

  “Late. Tomorrow’s my day off, remember?” Up. Up. Head to your bunk before something catches on fire. “I’ll head on. Night.”

  “Night. Make sure you put that joint out. Don’t want to set the bus on fire.”

  Oh. Damn. There were two options—talking or not, and he went with not. No lies. No excuses. No nothing.

  See him.

  See him head to bed.

  Go him.

  Jesus Christ.

  “You know how much mileage I’m gonna get out of this, right?” Oh, that asshole was smiling at him.

  “I’m not on the clock.” Goddammit.

  “Hell, I know that. But I’m still gonna ride you. This? So not healthy.”

  He took one deep drag, letting it burn all the way down and holding it before letting it go. “Ride away, redneck. I haven’t been laid in so long I’ve forgotten how.”

  Wait.

  Did he say that out loud?

  He must have, because Hollis stared at him, pupils dilating so wide so fast that Jeremy wondered if the man would just pass out. “Don’t tempt me, man.”

  Jeremy took a good, long look, almost moaning. “Give me one good reason?”

  “I…. Hell, I don’t know, man.” That heavy cock was on the rise, pushing up toward Hollis’s belly. “It could get ugly, stu
ck with me on a bus….”

  He did groan at that, tongue sliding out. So fucking fine. “Yeah. It’s not professional….”

  His own cock was jerking, getting hard as a rock.

  “Nope. Maybe a little bad.” Hollis sounded like he liked being bad. Of course, that was his rep, wasn’t it?

  “Mmm-hmm. And what if it sucks? I mean, there’s that whole chemistry thing.” He could eat that beautiful man alive.

  “Yeah. I don’t think it’s gonna suck, pretty man.” That big body came at him, and damn, it was just like when Hollis was on stage, all charisma and hot moves, only naked.

  Jeremy took a step forward, nostrils flaring at the scent of Hollis, familiar and new all at once. Hell, yes. The heat of the joint distracted him just enough, and he took that last good hit and held it in, reaching to stub the cherry out. One of Hollis’s big hands slid behind his head, pulled him up and forward, begging a shotgun. Yeah. He gave it up, buzzing from his toes to his head as he fed Hollis the hit.

  Hollis took it like a pro, grinning a little when he let the smoke out. “Oh, yeah. Now the real deal.”

  That fine mouth hit his, and damn, they didn’t have to worry about the chemistry thing. Not one bit.

  He’d spent weeks researching Hollis’s body, moving it, and fuck, this was the best kind of homework. Jeremy let his hands wander up that flat belly, fingertips tracing each rib, each muscle. Hollis quivered, his muscles pulling right up tight. Like a fucking washboard. Jesus, that man was built.

  So hot. He found one nipple, rubbing it nice and slow as his other hand wrapped around Hollis’s neck. Oh man. He needed him some of this.

  “Good. Real good.” That voice sounded like hot buttered rum. All smooth, with a kick that left him gasping. Hollis grabbed him right back, hands shaping his back and ass.

  “Uh-huh.” Oh shit. He hadn’t been touched in fucking forever. He arched, moaning low as their bellies connected. Hot. So fucking hot.

  “Come on.” Hollis just sorta… muscled him back toward the bedroom, hands everywhere, fingers slipping between the cheeks of his ass.

  “You sure you want this?” He went easy, dropping his hand down to stroke Hollis’s cock. Heavy. Hard. Hell, yes.

  “Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure.” He figured Hollis must be sure, because they toppled over on the bed, Hollis half on top of him, rubbing up on him fiercely, pushing him into those soft, rumpled sheets.

  “Good.” He bent one leg, planted his foot on the mattress, and rubbed right back, hips snapping up to meet Hollis’s.

  “Yeah. There.” Those pretty eyes had ridiculously long lashes, and they brushed Jeremy’s skin when Hollis bent to kiss his throat, his shoulder. Shit, the walls were painted dark, the sprinkling of lights all around like stars in the ceiling. Fucking cool.

  He got himself a double handful of ass, thumbs massaging the heavy muscles as he tugged them closer together. Hollis bumped chins with him, chuckling a little before kissing him again, harder this time, tongue pushing in to taste him. The little goatee was long enough to be soft, but just short enough to tickle. He approved wholeheartedly, lips wrapping around Hollis’s tongue and sucking. Oh man. Those eyes went wide. Hell, yeah.

  One hand went down to grip his cock, pulling nice and firm, slow and easy. God, yeah. He shuddered and spread a little wider. Oh. Calluses. Hello. A low moan rumbled against his throat, Hollis nipping at him, threatening to leave a mark. Oh man, that would be unprofessional. Wait. Was it unprofessional if his employer did it?

  Hell, no one would see. He stayed on the bus all the damned…. Oh.

  Oh, that felt good.

  That threat had gone real, Hollis sucking up a mark on his neck. He could fucking feel the hot blood come to the surface. He arched like a bowstring, hips almost punching up against Hollis as his body moved in time with the suction.

  “Fuck, lover, you’re a hot one.” God, that voice. He could see why women and men alike went crazy for it. Hollis squeezed his ass, squeezed his cock with the other hand, just going to town.

  “There’s nothing not to need ’bout you.” His toes curled, balls drawing tight as he got close.

  “Yeah? Good.” Biting down again, Hollis licked the bruise, making him jump. Fuck a duck.

  “Shit. Careful. Gonna make me….” His thighs went tight, his muscles shaking.

  “Well, that’s the idea, lover. Come on.” That thick thumb dragged beneath his cock, catching at the underside of the head, pressing hard. That was all she wrote. Jeremy’s teeth clicked together and he shot, Hollis’s name just ringing out as the world spun.

  Hollis held him the whole while, watching him, breathing hard enough to make his chest heave. That was a pretty chest too.

  “Oh. Oh damn.” He took another kiss, hand cupping Hollis’s cheek. He was the happiest son of a bitch on Earth.

  Hollis looked a little less happy. Maybe a little desperate. Okay, a lot desperate, still moving hard and fast. He grabbed hold of Hollis’s cock, thumb sliding and scraping against the ridge of the wet, slick tip.

  “Uhn.” Arching right into the touch, Hollis thrust, hips going ninety to nothing. It was like a feast for the eyes, watching all that muscle move.

  “Come on. Come on, now. Take the edge off, and then we can play.” He could so suck that pretty cock.

  “Uh-huh. Yeah.” Those heavy thighs went rock-solid, and the cock in his hand throbbed, and damn… Hollis came so pretty. Prettier than him singing on stage.

  He could so watch that again. “Mmm. Just like that.”

  “Damn, honey.” Leaning a little, Hollis was heavy and damp, hot as a furnace. “I needed that bad.”

  “Uh-huh.” He licked a little sweat off Hollis’s shoulder. “I feel way better.”

  “We’ll feel even better if we do it again.” Stroking his back, Hollis chuffed a laugh against his neck. “You got any more green?”

  “Mmm-hmm. Though your manager would have my head on a pike if he found out.” He could share some. He was in a sharing kinda mood.

  “I think I can make sure he doesn’t find out.” That smile was just pure wickedness.

  “Yeah?” He stretched, muscles creaking. “I could share with you.” He really wanted Doritos.

  “Yeah. I’d love that. Promise I won’t crack the voice, and I’ll do double push-ups tomorrow.” Hollis kissed him, long and lingering, just hot as you please.

  “Mmm….” He was probably making a terrible mistake, but it all felt so good that he found himself wandering to clean himself up and find his stash, rolling another joint as he listened to Hollis whistling.

  Then singing. Hollis broke into something about guitars and Cadillacs, that rough voice ringing right on key. It made him grin; he liked Hollis’s voice, liked the rough and the growl and the hint of drawl. He grabbed his lighter and wandered back toward the bedroom, drawn by the smell of sex.

  “Oh, hey. I was wondering if you’d changed your mind.” Hollis grinned, looking a little red around the ears and cheeks. “I got singing, huh?”

  “I liked it.” He plopped down on the mattress, Indian-style, his grin stretching his cheeks. “It’s a turn-on.”

  “Yeah?” Oh, from embarrassed to hot in… 2.3 seconds. “Hey, do you have a stash of munchies, or are we gonna have to stop….”

  His cheeks flushed; he could feel it. God, he did, but damn. Damn.

  “Come on, man. No one is gonna know this once. I mean, I could just have the driver stop at McDonald’s.” Oh, no. Uh-uh. What if someone saw that?

  “No McDonald’s.” He lit up, took a drag. He had Doritos. He fucking loved Doritos.

  “Well, then, you’ll have to share your stash too. You’re a fair man, I know.” Grabbing the joint, Hollis took a long hit, sighing, his eyes fluttering closed. “Hoo yeah.”

  “Mmm-hmm.” Jeremy leaned over, held Hollis’s wrist as he took his hit. Man, his lips were numb.

  Hollis was true to his word, taking two more hits before handing the joint back to him. “That’s a
ll for me, baby.”

  Did Hollis just call him baby? Surely not. He took another hit and then leaned, popped the cherry out into the ashtray that Hollis still had.

  “Man, now I want like, Waffle House.” Hollis flopped back on the bed, everything bouncing as those long arms spread and Hollis’s legs sprawled.

  “Now, that’s really bad for you, man. I’ll make waffles sometime.” He leaned forward, cheek rubbing on Hollis’s thigh.

  “No flaxseed shit. Whole wheat I’ll do.” Like a cat being stroked, Hollis shifted beneath him, rubbing up on him. God, the man smelled hot.

  “Picky, picky.” His tongue dragged on the salty skin, tugging the dark hairs there.

  “Hey, you’ve turned my whole life upside down and I haven’t killed you. Cut me some slack… shit. There.” His mouth had reached the crease between hip and thigh.

  “Here?” He hummed, took his time exploring. His tongue slid over that little bit of wrinkled skin, teeth testing Hollis’s hip.

  “Yeah. I like that, baby.” One hand stroked his hair, and Hollis sounded lazy and hungry and growly all at the same time.

  There it was again.

  Weird.

  Oh, Hollis smelled good right there….

  Shifting, Hollis spread those thighs wider for him, cock lifting slowly, balls hanging heavy. “Damn. Oh, damn.”

  He needed some of that.

  Jeremy slid farther, tongue easing around the base of Hollis’s cock, fingers cradling that velvet-soft sac, petting the backside of it, pushing just a little.

  “Shit! Gonna make me… oh shit.” That big body just rolled up, looking like a million bucks. Thanks to him.

  “Hot son of a bitch.” He slid down farther, tongue on Hollis’s balls, sliding down even farther to stroke over that tight, wrinkled hole.

  “Mnuh?” Man, he was making Hollis incoherent. He kinda had to like that.

  Jeremy set to making that beautiful fucking man scream, licking and pushing and lapping Hollis, giving it right up. Hollis wrestled his ass all over the bed too, wiggling and squirming, that hot voice begging him, singing him an amazing song. Just amazing. Jeremy pushed, just pushed up over that pretty cock and swallowed Hollis down, finger easing inside Hollis to peg the man’s gland.

  “Jesus!” Hollis thrashed, moaning, cock throbbing like crazy. That was the only warning he got before Hollis came hard, shooting until Jeremy figured he would be dry for days.