by Sean Michael
“It got you hurt. You lost your house in Austin. You could have died. It’s not worth all that.” Mike looked away. “You’ll find someone else to coach and I’ll find a job.”
“I don’t want to coach anyone else, Mike. I want to coach you. I want to see you fly through the water and go down in history as the most amazing swimmer out there.” Jessy shook his head. “Don’t let this guy win, baby.”
“I-I don’t think I can do it anymore, Jessy.”
“What are you talking about?” He couldn’t believe this, couldn’t believe that Mike was just going to give it all away, just like that. “This was a freak thing—it’s not going to happen again.”
“I don’t want to talk about this.” Mike stood, shook his head.
“I can’t chase you down with my leg in the cast, Mike, so do me the courtesy of sitting down and talking to me about it. You can’t just up and quit. There’s commitments to sponsors, to the team. Hell, to yourself!” He was pissed off, and he wanted to pace, needed to in the worst way.
Mike did his pacing for him. “I don’t want to have this happen. I don’t want you hurt. I don’t want reporters and stress and people hating me. I just wanted to swim. I didn’t want it to be a fucking business. I didn’t.”
“It is, though, at the level you’re swimming at. Now, I shield you from as much of that as possible, baby. That’s my job. Making sure you’re in form and taking care of everything but the swimming. But I can’t believe you want to give the swimming part up.”
“Someone almost killed you, Jess. Because of the way I swim. Because of me.” Mike’s pacing got longer and longer.
“That’s because they had a problem, Mike. That’s not normal. And it could have happened no matter what you did.” He wasn’t letting Mike give this up without a fight.
Mike sat out on the sand, the air growing chilly, chin on his knees.
Jessy sighed, watching the waves, watching Mike. “Give me a year, baby?”
“What?” Mike looked back at him, eyes wide.
“Swim for another year. Participate in the Worlds. You still want to retire when that year is over, you can do it with my blessing.” Because if Mike truly didn’t want to keep swimming when this whole thing was well and truly behind them, he wasn’t going to force it.
Mike made a soft, broken little sound. “I can’t. I still miss it. If I start again….”
“You miss it.” He shook his head. “Explain to me again then why you want to retire.”
“I did retire. I retired because you got hurt, and it was my swimming, my racing, that caused it.”
“No, it wasn’t. Anderson did it, not you. It isn’t your fault at all.” Jessy made a soft, growling noise.
“I don’t…. It doesn’t matter right now, does it? Do we have to deal with it now? It’s almost Christmas.”
“Are you going to be able to enjoy Christmas with it hanging over us?”
“Do you always have to push? Can’t you just let me be fucked-up and sick and unhappy?”
“No.” No, he couldn’t. And he didn’t see what was wrong with wanting the best for his baby.
“I’m going to go get groceries. Everything’s going to close soon.”
“This isn’t just going to go away, Mike.” He was growling now, frustrated, upset, and with no outlet for it.
“I know. I know it isn’t.” Mike’s cheeks were red. “I just want…. I just want things right. I’m so tired, Coach.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m supposed to be the one taking care of you and instead… it’s all a mess.”
Mike gave him a smile. “I’m trying, Jessy. So hard. I’m trying to take care of everything.”
“And you’re doing a fantastic job, but what you should be doing is swimming and having fun.” He hated this, hated the way this whole thing was hurting his baby.
Mike nodded. “Things aren’t always like we want them.”
“You got that right.” Jessy looked out at the waves. “I’ll be better soon, Mike, things’ll ease then.”
Mike nodded. “It will. It will all be okay.”
“Yeah, baby, I sure hope so.”
He sure did. Christ, he couldn’t coach a winner any more than he could swim to victory. Mike had been… his touch with greatness, his ticket to the Olympics. A true champion. Only Mike was so much more than that, and it wasn’t fair to expect Mike to do something he didn’t want to.
Jessy closed his eyes and focused on the waves. They were kind of like the wall.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
CHRISTMAS HAD been quiet, simple. He’d gotten a sinus infection on Christmas Eve and spent the holiday sniffling and moving slow. He’d had a Christmas dinner delivered that no one ate, and then they’d gone to bed.
For three days.
It was depressing as fuck.
Not as depressing as New Year’s Eve, though, where Jessy fell asleep at ten fifteen, and Mike drank a bottle of champagne on his own and threw up all the next day while Jess snarled.
Mike had hope, though.
Hope.
“Come on, Jess. Get in the car. Move. We’re going to be late. They’re going to take the cast off.”
“Thank the Lord, if they weren’t doing it soon, I was going to gnaw my own leg off.”
“That would give you gas.” He winked, opened the door.
Jessy shot him a look and then grinned, laughter soft, almost not there. He helped Jess in, and then drove them both toward the hospital and the little health care building in Corpus Christi.
“I can’t wait to get this off. Can’t wait to bury myself in your body.”
“Jess!” His cock just woke up and came straight to attention. “I’ll have to wait in the car if you make me hard.”
“Nope. I need you to help me in.” He could feel Jessy’s blue eyes on him, heated.
“Bull. You move on those crutches like a master.” Hell, they’d turned the chair back in over a week ago.
“Doesn’t mean I won’t need you to hold my hand.”
He grinned. “I bet your leg is skinny and hairy and gross.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. Kind of like my third leg, lately.”
“Jessy!” He started laughing, pulling off the Causeway and into the parking lot, dropping Jess off at the door. “I’ll park and be right back, dork.”
Jess gave him a wink and got slowly out, hobbling his way to the door.
He parked and then stopped at the vending machine before heading up. If this went like taking out the stitches, then Jess would just want to go to bed, and there wouldn’t be lunch, so chocolate, baby. He scarfed it down and ran upstairs.
Jess was still in the waiting room, flipping through a magazine too quickly to be actually reading it.
He smiled, sat. “They on time?”
“I guess. I think I’m next.”
“Yeah? Cool.” He bounced a little. “You’re going to feel thirty pounds lighter.”
“I’m ready to lose it. So ready.” Jess’s hand landed on his thigh, squeezed gently.
“I bet.” He gave Jess a smile. “You can get in the hot tub now.”
“I was thinking of something a little hotter I wanted to get into.”
Mike felt himself blush again. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, baby.”
The nurse broke the moment, calling Jessy’s name.
“You want me to come in or wait?”
“I guess you might as well come with me.”
Man, the enthusiasm was fucking overwhelming. “’Kay.”
He stood up, helped Jess with the crutches. “I’m right behind you.”
“That’s one of my best sides.”
“Just one.” He swatted Jess’s ass.
“Save that thought.”
They went into the doctor’s office. Jessy sat in the only chair. “I hope this doesn’t go long. I have plans.”
The doctor bustled in, chart in his hand. “Okay, Mr. Turner, let’s get that cast off. The X-ray fro
m last week looked perfect.”
“Thank the Lord.” Jessy’s eyes turned to meet his.
Mike couldn’t stop smiling. Oh. Oh, cool. Jessy smiled back, all heat and need.
The doctor got Jessy on the table, and the saw whirred as it cut the hard cast away, exposing Jessy’s pale, thin leg.
“Is it ugly, Mike?”
“Not as bad as I’d thought. More pale.” He smiled. “How does it feel?”
“Wow, air. It’s itchy. Lighter.” Jessy chuckled—actually chuckled. Something in Mike relaxed. Wow. A real smile. Wow. “Can I try it out, Doc?”
The doctor nodded. “It’ll feel weak, but it’s healed. You use the crutches, just for a few more weeks, for support.”
Jessy nodded. “I don’t actually plan on doing that much walking.”
“No?” The doctor looked surprised. “You need to exercise it.”
Jessy gave him a smile and a wink and turned back to the doctor. “I’ll exercise it, I promise.”
“Good.” The doctor gave Jessy a hand getting up, helped him balance.
“How does it feel, Coach?”
“Like I could skip down the hall. Seriously, it’s light.” Jessy chuckled and took a few steps.
“No pain?” The doctor watched, nodded.
“No, actually. It’s weak, feels strange, but no pain.”
“Excellent. You shouldn’t go run a marathon for a week or two, but you, my dear sir? Are officially okay. Congratulations.” The doctor shook Jessy’s hand. “So, is your swimmer here really retired?”
Jessy looked over at him.
He ducked his head. “I’m thinking about it.”
“There’s a berth on the Worlds team if he wants it, but this whole thing has been hard. We’ll see.”
“Well, we’re rooting for you, Mike. We want you to win.”
He blushed, looked down. “I have to get my coach all better before I think about that.”
“Then you’ll be thinking in no time.” Jessy shook the doctor’s hand again. “Nothing personal, Doc, but I hope not to see you again.”
“I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”
Mike grinned, watched Jessy walk to the door. Oh, that? Looked good.
Jessy turned to look at him, eyes smiling. “Coming, baby?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I am.” He grabbed the crutches. “You want me to bring the car around?”
Jessy shook his head. “I can walk, baby.” Jessy looked all puffed up and happy.
“Cool.” He was bouncing, for real, feeling right for the first time in months.
Jess was limping some, muscles in his leg weak from disuse. “Wow, I can see how swimming is going to help build that back up without stressing it.” Jessy looked relieved to arrive at the car.
“How’re you feeling?” He opened the car door, helped Jessy up. “Look! You fit now!”
“Brat!” Jessy laughed, the lines around his eyes easing.
“Yep. Your brat.” He walked around, hopping in. He reached over, touched Jessy’s leg. “Yay.”
Jessy nodded, hand moving down to slide along his. “Yeah. Yay.”
“Are you hungry, Jess? You just want to head to the house? What?”
“Oh, I’m hungry, baby. Hungry like the wolf.” Oh, that was a purr in Jessy’s voice.
He shivered, glanced over, wanting so bad. Oh, he’d missed that. “Y-you don’t want to be careful?”
“Baby, I’ve been careful for six weeks. I want you. I want you now.”
He nodded, swallowed hard. “Home. Bed.” Mike pulled out onto the Causeway, pushing the speed limit.
“Get us there quick. Just don’t get caught.” Jessy was grinning, the temperature in the car heating up.
“I won’t.” Hell, they were almost there, passing the tourist traps and bait shops before pulling into the parking lot.
Jessy purred as they got to the door. “Your ass is mine, baby.”
“Is it?” God, he was shaking, he wanted so bad.
“Uh-huh.”
Jessy let him unlock the door and then took over, grabbing his hand and dragging him back to the bedroom. He laughed, following along, squeezing Jessy’s ass with his free hand. They fell onto the bed together, laughing, and their teeth clicked as their mouths met.
“Missed this.” God, he had. He missed not being careful.
Jessy nodded, rolling with him, putting him beneath Jessy’s weight. “Yeah, baby.”
Then his mouth was being plundered, Jessy’s hands raking through his hair. Mike couldn’t catch his breath, heart pounding. He needed. Now.
“Naked,” muttered Jessy, body pushing against his, humping him.
“Are not.” He tugged Jessy’s sweatshirt off.
“That’s my point, baby.” Jessy pulled at his sweater.
He arched, hips rubbing against Jessy’s. “Love you. Fuck, want this so bad.”
“Yes.” Jessy yanked one more time and then ripped open his sweater and the T-shirt beneath.
“Jess!” He would have bitched longer, but he was pressing up against Jess, rocking.
“Get your pants off or they suffer the same fate,” growled Jessy, pushing his own shorts off.
“Pushy bastard.” He didn’t think Jess could rip his jeans, but he wasn’t taking a chance.
“Needy bastard,” Jess corrected.
“Yeah.” He got his shoes and jeans off, pushed into Jessy’s arms. “Oh. Oh, Jessy. Love you.”
“Yeah, baby. Where’s the lube?”
“Uh… bedside table.” He hoped.
Jessy fumbled, grunted, and grinned, waving the tube. “Got it.”
Mike chuckled, tickled down deep. “Go you.”
“I’m gonna go all over you, baby.” Then Jessy was kissing him again, legs sliding between his, pushing him open.
“In me. Been weeks, Jess.”
“Gotta get you ready first, baby. It has been weeks.” One of Jess’s fingers, hot and slick, pushed into him.
Mike arched, moaning low, nodding. “Yes.”
“Yeah, baby.” Jess groaned and quickly pushed in another finger, fucking him hard with them.
He just spread, rocking fast, the most perverse sounds escaping him. Jess didn’t work him too long, just slicked him up and stretched him a little, and then it was that long, hot cock pushing into him, the look on Jessy’s face pure bliss.
“Oh.” His eyes rolled. “Love.”
“Baby. Oh.” Jess moaned and starting thrusting, hard and fast, eager.
“Mmm….” He kept watching, just flying with it.
Jess’s hand wrapped around his cock, tugging in time with the eager thrusts.
“I…. Gonna…. Fuck!” His eyes rolled, clenching down hard, shooting.
“Mike!” Jessy’s shout rang in his ears, cock jerking inside him, filling him deep.
He reached up, held on tight, almost sobbing. “Jessy.”
Jessy collapsed against him, breathing hard. “Oh, baby. Yes. Love you.”
“Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Love.” So much.
Jess nuzzled into his neck, breathing deeply, licking. Just like old times. It felt so right. His eyes burned, and he closed them against the tears, just held on. Good. This was good.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
JESSY WOKE up, sticky and smelling of sex and still mostly boneless and happier than he’d been in ages. He was curled properly around Mike, able to again sleep the way they usually did, the cast gone now. Soon he’d be back to his old self, back to taking care of his swimmer.
Purring, he rubbed against Mike, hands petting.
“Mmm….” Mike cuddled closer, smiling, even in his sleep.
Oh yeah, this was the good stuff. He nuzzled Mike’s neck, licking the salt from Mike’s skin.
Mike moaned, chin lifting. “Oh. Jess.”
“Yeah, baby.” He hummed, licking and kissing, sucking gently on the warm skin.
“So good. Don’t stop.” The long, lean body beneath him shuddered, shivered.
“I’m n
ot going to stop, baby. Love touching you, tasting you, feeling you.”
“Missed this, so bad.” Mike brushed his hands over Jessy’s head, petting him.
He nodded. Fuck yes. It wasn’t like they hadn’t been able to jack and suck each other off, but it wasn’t the same. And they hadn’t been able to play. Mike arched up, easy and wanton and his. He slid down a little, finding one nipple and wrapping his lips around it, tugging.
“Oh. Oh. Jess. More.” Mike’s leg slid along his, almost petting.
He hummed, nipping at Mike’s nipples with his teeth. God, he loved those sounds, raw and hungry, pure need, pure want. He moved to Mike’s other nipple, finding more sounds. He rubbed, sliding their cocks together.
“How… how’s your leg? This doesn’t hurt it?”
“Not enough to stop.” His leg was fine, the muscles just unused. He rubbed harder, teeth and tongue working the hard little point of flesh.
“Oh. Oh. Oh.” Mike shivered, arched, cock leaving wet kisses on his belly.
“Christ, baby, never gonna get tired of this.” He pushed faster, harder, torn between wanting to make it last, wanting to fuck Mike again, and needing to come.
“Never. More, love. Please.” Mike spread for him, hips tilted.
Purring, he pushed two fingers into Mike’s mouth. The lube was… somewhere. Possibly the floor. Mike sucked his fingers in, pulling hard, those dark eyes shining.
He growled, hips jerking, his cock pressing against Mike’s hole. “Damn, baby. I want you.”
“Yours. All yours.”
His fingers popped free, and he nodded and pushed them into Mike’s body. “Mine, baby.”
Mike groaned, taking him deep, almost desperate. Mike was still a bit loose from last night, so Jessy didn’t finesse it, didn’t take his time; he just pushed and stretched, and a minute later he pulled his fingers away so he could push in his cock. Hot and tight and made for him. Fuck. Mike smiled, the expression relaxed, easy.
Yeah, that was his baby, always wanting, always ready. Humming, he brought their lips together for a kiss as he started to move. Mike opened easily, tongue sliding against his own. Purring, he began to thrust, fucking Mike.
It was so good—heat and pleasure and need, all together. “Jessy. I… I can almost believe… that it’s all going to be right.”
