The Crush Revisited

by Shawn Lane

  And then he moved away, heading through the doors into the resort.

  Why did he care anyway? Wasn’t that what Tim had said in the first place? It was just a weeklong affair, no strings attached. It wasn’t Tim’s fault that maybe Brandon had started to care. Just a little.

  Stupid.

  Just great sex. That’s all.

  Chapter 13

  “What are your plans now?’ Lance asked Tim as he and Ashtyn stood in line Monday morning, preparing to check out.

  Lance looked casual in jeans and a brown polo shirt, while Ashtyn had some white-leather ensemble on, complete with white boots. Tim tried not to shake his head too much at his friend’s flamboyance.

  It was nearing eleven in the morning, and the line for checkout was long because the Lincoln Hill reunion was officially over. Tim had noticed Brandon behind the counter, dressed in a black suit, as soon as they had entered the lobby. It was hard to keep his eyes off the man, really. And his chest ached just looking at him. Something he didn’t like. But there it was.

  Brandon had been true to his word and hadn’t agreed to change his mind about being with Tim last night. Well, Tim had figured that out anyway. Brandon had avoided him at the resort, of course. Tim had left him several messages, too, which Brandon had not returned.

  “I’m hoping to spend my last few days with Brandon,” Tim admitted. “If he cooperates.”

  “Still fighting you, huh?”

  He grimaced. “Yes. He wouldn’t see me last night.”

  Lance watched Brandon for a few seconds and then turned back to Tim. “In spite of what you said yesterday, you really like him. A lot.”

  He didn’t want to admit it, even to a friend. But it seemed also kind of ludicrous to deny it. “Yeah, I do. Too much.”

  Ashtyn hadn’t appeared to be listening, but now he said, “Maybe you should tell him.”

  “I don’t know. He still lives here, and I still live in Los Angeles. And I think maybe I like him more than he likes me.”

  “You won’t know until you try though.” Ashtyn’s smile was genuine this time, not fake or mocking as it so often was. “Just think about it, okay, Timmy?”

  “Okay,” he said. “Anyway, once you guys leave, I think I’ll go for a swim. Then I’ll tackle dealing with Brandon.”

  “I want to hear what happens, no matter what that is,” Lance said.

  “Me, too.” Ashtyn’s gaze drifted briefly as Zach Parker walked past them. “Someone has to have a good love life.”

  “Too true,” Lance agreed. “Although hot one-night stands are nice, too.”

  They all laughed. Brandon’s gaze went to their group just then, and met Tim’s. Tim’s stomach clenched, but then Brandon smiled and he relaxed just a little. If Brandon smiled at him like that, it couldn’t be bad. In fact, Tim thought he could get very used to seeing that smile. He’d missed it last night when he spent a lonely night alone in his hotel room. Missed talking to Brandon, even the sound of his voice. Yeah, he guessed maybe Brandon had become something more than just great sex to him. A lot more. Sure, he’d thought of Brandon while he jerked off, but it wasn’t even close to having the real man with him.

  * * * *

  Tim’s cell phone rang as he lounged on the same pool chair he’d lain in the day before during the party. He’d set his cell on the little glass table next to him. He picked it up, hoping it would finally be Brandon. To his disappointment, it wasn’t.

  “Hi, Micah.”

  “Hey! I thought you were going to call me while you were on your big adventure there in the wilds.”

  Tim laughed. “I hardly think Lincoln Hill could be thought of as the wilds.”

  “Compared to LA? Hmm. Anyway, you haven’t called. The reunion is over now, right?”

  “The last events were yesterday.”

  “Your high school friends go home?”

  “Yeah, I saw Lance and Ashtyn off this morning. It was really good to see them,” Tim said.

  “You must be ready to come home.”

  “Not really.”

  “What are you doing?” Micah asked.

  “Right now I am chilling by the pool with a tropical fruit juice drink next to me.”

  “Oh, no wonder you aren’t anxious to come back. Well, Keith and I miss you.”

  Funny how he really hadn’t given much thought to Keith. Not since meeting Brandon.

  “Yeah, I miss you guys, too. But, well, I’ve met someone here. Been spending a lot of time with him.”

  There was a pause. “Someone from the reunion?” Micah asked.

  “Sort of. He’s the assistant manager for the resort. Plus he was in my graduating class.”

  “Name?”

  “Brandon.” He reached for his tropical drink. “It’s been really nice.”

  “Sounds like you really like him.”

  “I do. But, well, I leave on Wednesday.”

  “You do, and I for one want you to come home. Selfish, I know. But you’re my best friend.”

  “I know, Micah. I’m coming home.” So why did the idea of returning to Los Angeles freak him out so much? Tim had begun to dread it. But Los Angeles was home now. He’d left this town behind years ago. He knew it wasn’t Lincoln Hill he wanted, though. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Brandon approaching. His heart rate instantly sped up. “Look, I have to go. I’ll see you Wednesday when you guys pick me up, all right?”

  “All right. See you then. Bye.”

  Brandon was still dressed in his suit when he sat next to Tim on the edge of the lounger.

  “Hi,” Tim said. “I’ve been leaving messages.”

  Brandon nodded. “Yes, I know. I’ve been busy.”

  “Are you on a break?”

  “No. I’m off. Done for the next few days, actually. Now that the reunion is over, I can take some time off.”

  Tim sat up straighter. “Can I come home with you?’

  “You only have a couple of days left to spend enjoying the resort,” Brandon said. “Are you sure you want to come with me?”

  “Hell yeah. Brandon, I need…I want to spend it with you. I don’t care about the resort. It’s just a place.” Tim glanced around the pool area. There weren’t a lot of people there, but he lowered his voice anyway. “Please? I want to spend whatever time I have left here with you.”

  Brandon smiled then, and Tim’s chest stopped pounding quite as hard. “All right. I’ll wait for you to change. And maybe get some of your things, too. Are you hungry? I’m hungry.”

  “Yeah.” Tim stood and forgot all about his tropical drink. “I’m hungry.”

  For you.

  * * * *

  “This place is pretty cool.” Tim took a large bite of cheese pizza.

  They were sitting at a booth in a little pizzeria Brandon had chosen for their dinner. He wasn’t exactly sure why he’d brought Tim here. It had been his mom’s favorite place. Maybe that was why.

  Brandon hadn’t gotten home Sunday night until after ten, and he’d been exhausted. Still, he’d sort of wished he had been with Tim. He didn’t have a lot of time left. Yeah, Tim’s words at the pool had reminded him what it was all about, but he couldn’t help thinking he’d cut off his nose to spite his face the night before.

  “It’s been around forever,” he told Tim as he reached for his iced tea. “You never came here when you lived here?”

  “Nope. Never. Pizza is good though. You know, I was raised by my aunt and uncle.”

  “Yeah, because your parents were killed.”

  “That’s right. Anyway, they weren’t really big on going out to eat. Aunt Flo really liked to cook. She used to watch Julia Child religiously.”

  Brandon laughed. “Do you see them very often?”

  “Not as much as I’d like to. They retired to Reno. They love it there. I’m not that into gambling, so it’s not really my thing.” Tim smiled. “This place is really nice though. Being at the resort, I haven’t had a chance to see much of Lincoln Hill. Has it
changed a lot?”

  “Some. They built a discount store.”

  Tim gasped. “A discount store in Lincoln Hill?”

  “Horrors, I know. Just down the street is a Neiman Marcus. But mostly it’s probably pretty much the same as you remember.”

  Tim leaned his chin on his hand. “You know, I actually miss some of it.”

  Brandon couldn’t help but be skeptical. “Really?”

  “Yeah. The weather is perfect. The trees, the architecture. It’s a really nice place. Living in a rat-race place like LA makes me appreciate here more, I think.”

  He shook his head. “If you say so. I even worked at this pizza place for a couple of summers during high school. Mom was friends with the owners.”

  “Well, I sure missed out,” Tim said. He smiled at Brandon. He’d been smiling at him a lot. It did funny things to Brandon’s stomach.

  “So Lance and Ashtyn got off all right?”

  Tim nodded. “Well, I know they made it out of the resort at least. Ash was on his way to Miami for his job, and Lance was going back to Portland. Funny, we haven’t seen in each other in several years, but with keeping in touch, by e-mail, anyway, it’s like when we saw each other the years just disappeared. If anything, I think we’ll stay in closer touch now than before.”

  “Good, I’m glad you’re going to. I know you were all close back then.” He ducked his chin at the unwitting reminder that he used to follow Tim around like a lovesick dog. He’d come a long way since. Hadn’t he?

  “We were. But most people aren’t really in touch with their buddies from high school. We’re lucky that we did,” Tim said. He covered Brandon’s hand with his. “And you know what? I don’t want to talk about Lance or Ashtyn or even high school.”

  “No?”

  “No. I’m here with you, and you’re what I want to know about now. What went on before doesn’t matter. What went on with someone else doesn’t matter. You’re my focus.”

  He shivered. “When you talk like that…it’s a little weird.”

  “You think I’m creepy?” Tim looked hurt, and that wasn’t what he wanted.

  “No, no. I just mean that no one has ever looked at me with such intensity before. When you say I’m your focus, you look like you really mean it.”

  “I do.”

  Brandon shook his head. “Believe me, I’ve never had anyone do that before.”

  “The guys you’ve been with are idiots,” Tim said simply.

  Maybe he was saying all this to get Brandon into bed. If that was the case, it was working. Brandon looked down at their half-eaten pizza.

  “You want to get this boxed up and get the bill?”

  Tim smiled. “Thought you’d never ask.” He gestured to their waitress and asked for a to-go box and the check.

  On the drive home, Brandon didn’t say much of anything, and Tim kept his hand on Brandon’s thigh, rubbing it. His cock was so hard he’d had to shift several times. Fortunately it wasn’t too far from the pizzeria to his house.

  They made their way to the bedroom, and as they were stripping out of their clothes, Tim stopped and walked over to Brandon.

  “What?” Brandon asked when Tim stared intently into his eyes.

  Tim cupped his chin. His thumb grazed over Brandon’s bottom lip. “Are you too sore? Still?” His voice was whisper soft. It moved over Brandon like a caress and he shivered.

  Was he still sore? Brandon didn’t think he was, and even if he had been, they only had two nights before Tim left Lincoln Hill, and he wasn’t about to waste one of them. He already regretted missing last night.

  “No, I’m good.”

  Just then it was almost as though they were the only two guys in the world. Probably a silly, romantic notion to occur to him, considering, as Tim had said, this was all just great sex. But he couldn’t have looked away from Tim’s gaze even if the earth had swallowed them up.

  Their lips met, both of them going in for the kiss at the same time. For someone who hadn’t liked to kiss, Tim had become an expert. Demanding and hard, giving and soft. Contradictions perhaps, but true nevertheless.

  Brandon wrapped his arms around Tim’s neck and gave himself up to the kiss. Offering himself thoroughly. His tongue tangled with Tim’s. Fighting for control.

  When it was over…when Tim left Lincoln Hill, never to return again, Brandon would remember this kiss. This feeling of total abandon. If he could have, he would have kissed Tim all night this way.

  They came up for air, and Brandon rested his forehead against Tim’s. Their breaths mingled, panted. Their lips were swollen and wet.

  “Condoms and lube?” Tim asked, breaking the spell, but only a little. His voice still held that gentle, sexy caress.

  Brandon nodded. “Yes.”

  He reluctantly stepped away from Tim to allow him to continue to undress. He went to the end table and removed the lube and condoms. He turned back to Tim just in time to see him bend over to remove his shoes. He’d already dropped his jeans and briefs, so Brandon was treated to the sight of Tim’s tight, round ass. It had to be some kind of sin for a guy with such a great ass to be a top.

  And that made Brandon think about how it had been a while since he had topped anyone. Admittedly it hadn’t been very often. Though if Tim were agreeable, maybe now would be a good time to see if he remembered how to do it, he thought with a grin.

  “What?” Tim asked as he turned around, his cock proudly raised between his legs. “Why are you grinning?”

  Brandon bit his lip. “Just thought of an idea.” And now that he had, he didn’t want to take no for an answer. He hoped he wouldn’t have to either.

  “What idea?”

  Brandon walked over to Tim and held a foil packet between his fingers. “I could put this on instead of you.”

  Tim blinked. “You mean you’d fuck me?”

  Brandon nodded. He held his breath. “Unless you don’t like it. Have you ever been the bottom?”

  “A few times. I prefer topping, but,” and he paused to waggle his eyebrows, “for you I’ll do whatever you want.”

  Relief made him giddy. “That’s what I want. Tonight anyway.”

  “Your wish is my command,” Tim said with a big grin. He leaned down to kiss Brandon thoroughly. “But go easy on me.”

  Tim lay on his stomach on the bed. Brandon knelt beside him and, after rolling the condom on his hard cock, squirted out an overly generous amount of lube.

  “How long has it been?” he asked Tim, leaning down to kiss the back of Tim’s neck. He smiled when Tim shook and goose bumps appeared all over his naked flesh.

  “Hmm.” Tim’s voice was muffled against the bed. He wiggled his ass a little. “Um, probably like six years. I think.”

  “I’ll be gentle,” Brandon promised. He decided to give Tim a massage first, so he began to knead the knotted muscles in his lover’s back. “You’re tense.”

  “I’m nervous, I guess.”

  “We don’t have to do this.” Brandon kissed his shoulder.

  Tim shook his head. “I want to. Please.”

  Brandon swallowed, his throat feeling just a bit clogged. He really needed to stop letting this man get to his emotions. He was in big trouble. “Okay. Ready?”

  “Hmm.”

  Brandon pushed a slicked finger into Tim’s hole and paused when he felt Tim’s body go rigid.

  He blew out a breath. “All right?”

  “Stings,” Tim murmured, his face mashed against the bed.

  “I know. It won’t last.” Brandon thrust his finger slowly and gently inside Tim. He felt his lover begin to relax as he pushed in deeper. Then he added another finger as well as more lube. When he could move them both easily within Tim, Brandon withdrew them and slicked up his cock. “Ready?”

  “Yes.”

  His hands on either side of Tim’s hips, Brandon shoved in past the ring of muscle fairly easily, and since Tim didn’t protest, he began to move in earnest. It really had been a while since h
e’d had a tight ass wrapped around his cock, and for a few seconds Brandon saw stars.

  “Fuck, Tim, you’re so tight.”

  “Uh-huh, and you feel fucking big.” Tim groaned and pushed back.

  They developed a rhythm as Brandon thrust in the snug channel and Tim pushed back again and again. Grabbing Tim’s hand, he locked their fingers together and closed his eyes, rocking into him. He let his body take over, feeling the clench of Tim’s ass around him.

  Brandon’s release came on strong, unexpectedly powerful and draining. When he felt Tim tense beneath him, he sped up as Tim jerked his dick and they came together.

  It was much later—after they’d untangled, disposed of the condom, and shared more breathless kisses—that they lay side by side, their arms wrapped around each other’s waists.

  “Okay?” he asked Tim, snuggled up next to his chest.

  “Better than okay. That was great.”

  Brandon couldn’t help but smile. It felt good to be like this. This intimate. Who was he kidding? It felt great. As though it was so much more than great sex between them.

  Stupid.

  “Good. I’m glad. And I agree. It was pretty great.”

  “I still want your ass though,” Tim said, pulling him close.

  “Tomorrow.” He tried not to think too much about how tomorrow would be their last day together. He had to prepare himself for that. But now, he just wanted to fall asleep in Tim’s arms.

  Chapter 14

  Brandon woke to the smell of pancakes and fresh coffee. He had to be dreaming of his mother again. He squinted at the alarm clock on his nightstand. Half past nine already.

  He turned over onto his back and tried to clear his mind from the sleep funk. He could swear Tim had spent the night last night. So where was Tim?

  Damn, he still smelled pancakes and coffee.

  “Tim?” he called out, sitting up in bed.

  No answer.

  He swung his legs out of bed, and then went to the bathroom to relieve himself. After washing his hands, Brandon grabbed his bathrobe off the hook on the back of the bathroom door.

  “Tim?”

  He left the bedroom and headed for the clanging sounds coming from the kitchen. Tim stood at the stove, his back to Brandon, flipping pancakes in a griddle pan.