Road Trip, Volume 1

by BA Tortuga

Rick nodded. “I bet it is. I had a paper presented there once. Bethy did it. I… uh… didn’t make it out of the airport.”

  “Really?” Planting his heels, he stopped, regarding Rick curiously. “Why not?”

  Those cheeks went a deep, dark red, almost purple, flashes of dark eyes, furious, passionate sex in a broom closet and a lounge and a bathroom stall hitting him. “I got distracted.”

  “Oh.” Oh. My. Neil turned that pathway off, shutting it out. It made him rather…. Pokey. “Yes, I see. Well.”

  “Oh. Right. Sorry. It was… different.” Rick chuckled, shrugged. “Science nerds get it where they can, huh?”

  “Don’t we all?” That sounded crass. Especially as hard as he’d been coming on. Neil choked on the “hard” part. “I think I’ll give up my swing to that determined young fellow.”

  “Sure. Sure.” A sharp, almost painful wave of embarrassment flooded over him, then disappeared, replaced with a swirl of thoughts.

  “Stop that. Last one to that enormous slide buys the chocolate.” Grinning, he took off, hoping his scientist wasn’t terribly fast on his feet.

  He heard the bright laughter when he was halfway there, Rick still laughing when they bumped together on the slide, the lean body shoving him against the ladder. “You won, but you cheated.”

  “I? Cheat? I think not.” He tickled Rick’s ribs, fingers digging in hard, knowing exactly which spot would cause that helpless spasm.

  Goodness, that laughter was amazing. “Oh! Oh, cheating! That’s cheating!”

  “Yes.” His own laughter coming so hard it hurt his ribs. “Yes, this is definitely cheating.”

  Rick’s fingers found his nipples, eyes just dancing behind the glasses. “I’ll… I’ll pinch. I swear. I have brothers!”

  His cock jumped, his cheeks flushing. Good heavens. If he wasn’t communicating his thoughts right back, he’d be amazed. “I imagine your brothers would not react as I would.”

  “God, I hope not. Kynan and Sean are straight as arrows and gigantic fireman-types, and they’d both knock me into next week.”

  Neil rubbed his chest into that touch. Just a little. “Slide?”

  Padraic nodded, nothing but pleasure and desire and warmth pushing against him. “You want to go first? Or should I?”

  “Oh, you go. I won the wager. You’ll buy later.” He wanted to watch Paddy’s ass.

  “I will. There’s a Rocky Mountain Chocolate company here. Yum.” Chocolate-covered bananas. Tease. Padraic climbed up the slide, a hole in the crotch of the worn jeans. Neil was really turning into a pervy old fart. He climbed up, watching as Paddy sat at the top, the wind ruffling his hair. Adorable. Paddy laughed, grinned back at him. “There’s a storm coming, way off.”

  “There is.” Lightning and thunder and hail the size of the end of his thumb. “We should slide and head for a corner store.”

  “Yeah. Do you like them? Storms?”

  “I do. But this one we don’t want to get caught out in.” He smiled, bending to give Paddy a small shove.

  “Whoo!” Paddy slid all the way down and somersaulted at the end with a goofy “Ta-da!”

  Neil stood at the top, grinning like a fool for a long moment. Then he sat and slid, shot off the end faster than expected, and landed roughly atop Paddy. “Oof.”

  “Oh. You. You okay?” He wasn’t the only one wanting, the only one intrigued.

  “Yes. I…. Yes. Are you?” He knew very well Paddy was just fine. “I think you like peanut butter M&M’s.”

  “Oh, I do. I bounce. I warned you earlier. I bounce a lot.” Paddy’s eyes were on his lips, focused, curious. Curious about how he’d taste after eating chocolate.

  Certainly he’d be happy to let Paddy find out. “I think I must encourage that. Come on, Paddy. That storm is hurrying.”

  “Paddy.” Those eyes met his, blinking. “No one’s called me that in years.”

  “Will it bother you if I do?” Oh, he hoped not. It suited Padraic far better than Rick.

  “No. No, it’s….” Comforting. Right. Good. Real. Bright. Warm. Oh, the wind. “Cool.”

  “Good.” He took Paddy’s hand in his. “Let’s go get you chocolate. I’d like to see you bounce.”

  Paddy nodded, fingers twined with his. “Don’t tell Bethy. She’ll grumble.”

  “This is off-work time, right? She’ll never have to know.” They headed back to the car, making it just before the first pea-sized hail hit.

  “Oh, your car!” Paddy unrolled the window, hand stuck out to try to catch some, almost bouncing already.

  “It’s a rental. I have insurance.” It would be worth risking damage to see that look on Paddy’s face. He glowed. And the utter glee radiating from his thoughts was like a drug.

  “Oh cool. If there are marks, we can measure. God, it’s cold and they’re sharp.”

  “Don’t hurt your hand. I rather like it as is.” Since Paddy wanted to see how it was when they were moving, he started up and backed out.

  “I won’t. Stop at the store. I’m buying chocolate.” Paddy leaned out of the window, laughing as they moved.

  Such joy. Life would never bore this man, because he really did want to know how things worked. Neil was simply enchanted, which was no doubt stupid and dangerous, but there it was. He didn’t care.

  Right now he’d simply take the ice and the chocolate and the lovely laughter and be happy with it.

  Chapter Seven

  MJ DRAGGED the box up the stairs and into the hotel room, big-assed duffel on his shoulder.

  One final check of equipment, a list of equipment they needed, and some cleaning, and they’d be good to go. He had the Leopold, the Glocks, a couple of sweet little .38s. That gave them some options.

  He hated being limited on options.

  He had some spare charges too. A couple of random detonators, just in case. He was a big fan of “just in case.”

  “We’ll probably need to get oil and rags after I’m finished today, Sunshine. I haven’t done a big clean in a while.”

  “Okay.” Sonny was actually being productive. The man had shaved his head again, and it shone with sweat as Sonny worked disassembling and reassembling a Glock. “What kind of car did you get us, Precious?”

  He schooled his face not to grin. “I got us one of those SUVs.”

  That newly shaved head turned slowly, Sonny giving him an incredulous look. “And lose my street cred?”

  “Yeah. I was thinking size and comfort. No one would ever know it was us. Hell, I even got a Baby on Board sign.” Fuck, this was fun. He pulled the HK416 from the bag and set it on the table.

  “You’re a sick man, Precious. Now tell me what you really got.” That Glock snapped back together and oh-so-casually pointed his way. The only reason he didn’t take it away and stuff it up Sonny’s ass was he knew it wasn’t loaded.

  “You look pretty good with that thing. I approve.” What the hell was in the ziplock bag and towel? Oh. Cool. His throwing knives. He’d thought he’d lost them.

  “You’re still not telling me,” Sonny said, tossing the gun aside and coming to pluck his knives out of his hands, “what you got us to drive.”

  Sonny had this thing about cars. It was kinda cute.

  “Olds Cutlass, ’66. Rebuilt V8 with reinforced shocks. Hardtop. Purrs like a kitten. That work?”

  “Oh. Yeah.” For that he got a kiss, Sonny bending and planting a hard one right on his mouth.

  “Mmm.” Yeah, that’s why he got the muscle car, because they turned his Sunshine on like nothing going. One big hand slid behind his neck, tilting his head just so. Sonny took the kiss deeper. He tasted like Tabasco sauce and lemonade. Sonny may have been a moonshiner, but he only drank on the job if someone shot at him.

  MJ hummed. The whole working-with-a-partner thing had loads of bennies, primary of which was someone to scratch itches and keep things lively.

  Sonny crowded in, pushing him back on the bed and sort of swarming on him, straddling him. “
Hey, Precious.”

  “Hey there. You about ready to go make mayhem?”

  “Uh-huh. I think we do that well.” Those dark eyes really twinkled for him. And Sonny called him a psycho?

  “It’s a talent.” He grinned, leaned up and took a long, hard kiss. They hadn’t been on a tear with a fast car in too fucking long.

  “Mmm. Fuck, Precious. Love that mouth of yours. I so do.” Sonny touched him, running hands up under his shirt, greasy from the gun oil.

  “Good.” They were both nervy, with the being on land, being at work, being almost ready to go. A little nervy and a little edgy and a little horny. He could feel the hard ridge of Sonny’s cock rubbing his belly. Okay, a lot horny. “Were you thinking perverted thoughts while you were cleaning that firearm?”

  “I was. I was thinking about you, Precious, all Dirty Harry tough guy, playing shoot ’em up. It’s sexy as hell.”

  Oh God, they were two of a kind.

  “Mm-hmm. You’re the only guy ever came to rescue me from a closet.” Got shot for him too. Sexy fucker.

  “Uh-huh.” They rubbed, Sonny just revving right up like the cars the man drove like a bat out of hell. That cock pressed against him through too much cloth, hot and hard as it could be.

  “Why the fuck aren’t you naked?” He was a massive fucking fan of naked.

  And chocolate.

  And corny dogs.

  Dude, he was hungry. They needed a post-screw snack.

  “I was cleaning your guns….” Pulling back, Sonny reached to rub him, unzip him, and haul his cock right out.

  “You’re good to me.” Handy too. MJ approved, even if his prick was going to smell like the inside of a muzzle.

  No way was he gonna get sucked either. Which would probably frustrate Sonny more than him. The bastard was oral. The tugging and stroking and petting was gonna work just fine.

  Still, turnabout was fair play and shit, so he got Sonny’s jeans unbuttoned, fingers needing to know Sonny’s fine fucking self was coming along for the ride.

  “We need to get tattoos, after. You and me.”

  “Uhn. Fuck, yes.” Oh, definitely along for the ride. Sonny’s prick twitched in his hand, and Sonny thrust right into his grip, moaning. That deep voice went gravelly, the South so deep in it when Sonny called him, “Precious.”

  He ducked his head and got his lips on Sonny’s throat, licking and biting, the soft skin newly shaved and so fucking smooth.

  “Mmm.” Sonny’s hand tightened on him too, and they rolled so Sonny could pull their cocks together. His hands moved to hold that slick, shaved head, fingers trailing on the scalp, drawing circles. They panted, heating up the air even more, their sweat slicking the way for them. He didn’t figure they’d even make it to the fucking. Not as hot as Sonny was for him. MJ found a hot spot on Sonny’s jaw and started sucking, teeth scraping across the skin.

  “Gonna… gonna bruise me, Precious,” Sonny told him around the grunt. Then Sonny returned the favor, biting at his shoulder.

  “You look… oh fuck. You look good bruised.”

  Hot.

  Sexy as all fuck.

  A soft chuckle ghosted on his skin. “We need to fight more often, then.”

  Sonny really went to town on him then. Sexy, crazy fucker. He’d just bet it was the thought of hitting him that did it too. Motherfucker called him a psycho.

  Sonny’s mouth hit a spot that made him jerk, that thumb catching the slit in his cock, and he just bucked, balls drawing up hard as stone.

  “MJ….” Sonny jerked against him too, cock throbbing, hot come spilling over his hip and thigh as Sonny came. That bite just went hard and deep, making him feel it down in his muscles.

  Oh.

  Oh fuck yes.

  His eyes rolled back in his head, cock pulsing hard in Sonny’s hand.

  “Oh, Precious. I do like you when you’re all jonesing for the job.”

  “Yeah. You do rough and ready to go just fine too. Our magic med bag all stocked up?”

  “You know it. Never go into a fight without morphine, I always say.” Sonny grinned at him. “Are you hungry?”

  “Fucking starving. I want greasy diner food. You?” Fuck, he loved that crazy son of a bitch. Good thing he hadn’t killed him at the beginning.

  “Yeah. I say onion rings. And some of that weird blue cheese stuff.” They both got up, wiping off and putting themselves together. “Think we ought to hide the guns in case the maid comes?”

  “Probably. People get all weird and shit.”

  “Yeah, okay.” The Glock went back in a box and under the side table. Sonny stretched, the bruise on his throat looking lurid in the dying light. “I want some of those jalapeno things too.”

  “Okay. I want one of those brownie ice cream hot and melty cake dessert things.” He shoved the duffel under the bed, pocketing the knives. “You wanna meet our new car?”

  “I do. Lead me to her, Precious.” The man bounced. Actually bounced.

  “It’s black as your soul.” He tossed Sonny the keys, heading for the door. This part was actually fun as fuck.

  “Oh, she’s a doll baby,” Sonny said, running his hand over the back fender and slipping into the driver’s seat once they got downstairs. The engine hummed right to life, and Sonny yanked him over for a hard, hard kiss as soon as his butt hit the passenger seat. “She’s perfect, Precious.”

  Oh, fucking go him.

  “Excellent. Feed me, Sunshine. We have to get back to work.”

  They needed to go do this job, have some fun, and fuck like bunnies so they could get back to what they did best. Retirement.

  Chapter Eight

  OH. OH. Oh damn.

  The first few bites of chocolate were delicious. The beginning of the second bag was amazing.

  Now? Oh, the storm was—damn. And he was—uhn. And the balcony railing—wow.

  And then Neil? Sweet fucking Christ.

  He leaned over backward, laughing as the rain poured down over him, soaking him to the skin.

  The glass door behind him opened and shut, Neil coming out to join him. The fancy pants and sweater had been replaced by a long-sleeved T-shirt and some workout pants, and that was definitely woo and probably hoo too. Especially since the shirt was white.

  And now see-through.

  “Oh, that’s almost cold. Delicious.”

  “Uh-huh. Mmm… nipples. Do yours taste salty?” He’d bet they did. Salty and good and ripe in his lips. Uhn.

  “I suppose that depends on what I’ve been doing.” It was nice that Neil didn’t whack him or look shocked or anything, like some other guys had. “Do yours taste like chocolate?”

  He looked down, then stripped off his shirt to look closer. Man, they were hard too. Pokey. Pointy and, oh. The water and wind felt cold. Good. Wow. “They could.”

  “They could indeed. But not out here. The chocolate would wash right off.”

  He laughed, fingers sliding up his belly to brush them off. “Then they’d just taste like rain and me.”

  “Yes. I wonder what that tastes like.” Man, those eyes were like water. Not the rain, but like the sea. In Greece, maybe. And Neil had this look….

  “Like a merman….” Oh wow. He’d always wondered about them. Right now he could almost believe in them.

  “Hmm?” Neil took one step, then another, close enough to brush against him, fingers reaching out to trace his sternum.

  “You look….” Mmm, that was warm, the contrast making his cock throb, his nipples just draw up tighter. Oh, Neil’s nails were smooth.

  “I look?” That smile. Pure wickedness.

  “Exotic? Wet. Wicked. Hungry.” Mmm… hungry man. Well, not Hungry Man, because TV dinners, ew. But eat-him-up hungry.

  “I am hungry. But not really for chocolate. I fear I’ve overindulged.” Closer still, and Neil was hot, even in the cold rain.

  “You’re not sick to your stomach, are you? I’d hate to make you sick.”

  “Not a bit. But I
know my limits.”

  Yeah. Yeah, they’d binged a little. A lot. Something.

  “Yeah? I never do. Haven’t found ’em. Curious, though. Like to see how they work. Oh, look at the lightning!” He shivered, pressed toward Neil’s heat because he was cold now.

  “I think I should like to see how they work too. Let’s go in. I put towels in the dryer. They should be nice and warm.”

  “There’s a dryer?” Ooh… warm towels. Warm Neil. He wondered if Neil’d let him help dry.

  “Next to the hot tub. There’s a gas fireplace too. And the kitchenette. I do like this hotel.” Neil took his hand, just like in the park, and led him in, over to the bathroom so they could drip on the floor.

  “It’s nice. Sleek.” Fancy. Sort of chilly, at least until you got up into the pretty bathroom with the deep tub and tiles. More sea stuff. Palms too, but not tiki head coconut bra cheesy palms. Coconut bras. “Did you know you’re ten thousand times more likely to die from being hit in the head by a falling coconut than by being eaten by a shark?”

  “Really? Why is that? More coconuts than sharks?” His shirt was already gone. Maybe they could put it in the dryer later. Wherever it was. And Neil was sorta… working on his pants, fighting the button. Neil had pretty hands.

  “More access to coconuts, and sharks think we taste bad.” He had the sudden urge to kiss Neil’s jaw. Neil’s shoulder. The small of Neil’s…. “Oh, can I see your tattoos?”

  “You certainly may.” Smiling, Neil peeled the wet T-shirt over his head and tossed it over a towel rack. “Here’s the one.”

  It covered the whole of Neil’s upper right arm, the spiral pattern done in stark black. It was the Chartres labyrinth. He could get lost tracing that one.

  “Oh….” He blinked and stepped closer, following the pattern over and over. “Are you looking for God?”

  Paris. Stones. It wasn’t as pure as the golden triangle, but curvy.

  “Not really. But I suppose, like you, I like puzzles more than I would like to admit.” Grinning, Neil let him touch it, trace it, for the longest time.

  If it was his, he’d trace it with metallic markers, using them like the stones Hansel and Gretel dropped to find their way home from the wood. “It’s fascinating.”