Working It Out

by Sean Michael

  When he opened up, it took him a second to figure out who it was. Nathan Banner. "Hey, man. My old man wanted me to stop by, see what happened. We've all worked together a long time."

  Affton couldn't fucking believe Nathan had the gall to show up at his door like it was perfectly normal. Hell, he'd seen the asshole at various functions over the years and it made him furious that he'd ever given this man so much as a kind word.

  He hauled off and punched Banner in the nose. As hard as he fucking could.

  "What the fuck?" Nathan stumbled back. "Dude!"

  "Affie?" Luke stumbled out of the bathroom, face wet.

  He put his hand out, warding Luke back as he snarled at Nathan. "Get the fuck out, you bastard."

  "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Nathan asked.

  "Oh, my God. Affton. What's he doing here?"

  "He's leaving. Right now. I swear to fucking God if you don't go I will not be responsible for beating you to a goddamn pulp!" He couldn't believe this asshole was walking around. "Or better yet I will call the cops and slap your ass in jail."

  "For what? What did that little shit say?"

  "What do you think he said?" He shoved Nathan backward, needing the man out of his condo before he did something that got him jailed.

  "He wanted it. He was a little slut who got off on it."

  "You fucker!" He slammed his fist into Nathan's face again, then hit the man in the gut.

  "I didn't. I didn't ask for it." Luke's voice was small.

  "Of course you didn't." He slammed Nathan back against the corridor wall. "You ever come near him again and there won't be anything left to jail."

  "You idiot. You should have just let it go." Nathan growled at him. "I'll destroy you."

  "Give it your best shot, you little bastard."

  "Go away." Luke pulled his sweater on.

  Affton slammed the door closed before he really did pounce the man and kill him. He shot the lock home and turned, breathing hard. "Are you okay?"

  "How are your hands?"

  He looked down at them, surprised to see them bruised and bloody.

  "Come on, let's clean them up."

  "Are you okay, baby?" He tilted Luke's chin, looking into those lovely eyes.

  "I don't know. Let's fix your hands."

  He let Luke lead him to the bathroom. "I can't believe he had the gall to show up here."

  "I can't either." Luke was the color of milk.

  He put his arm around Luke's shoulders. "He's never going to hurt you again."

  "What if he hurts you?"

  "I'm not going to let him do that." He kissed Luke gently.

  "He..." Luke looked like he was going to have a meltdown. "I think I'm going to go home."

  "No, please. Baby. I couldn't be there for you when it happened, please let me comfort you and take care of you now. Please." He needed this. He knew it was selfish, but he needed to take care of Luke like he hadn't been able to four years ago.

  Luke looked at him, the moment stretching out and out, then his lover pushed into his arms. "Affie."

  "Baby. Luke." He held Luke tight, his hand stroking on his lover's back. "I've got you and he can't hurt you anymore. I'm not going to let him."

  "I didn't ask for it. I didn't want it."

  "I know that, baby. Nobody asks to be raped."

  "I didn't ask for it. I asked for you."

  "I know. I'm so sorry they told you I was involved." He would never ever do such a thing. Luke had to know that now even if he hadn't then.

  "Me, too." Luke began to cry, hard sobs that shook his lover like a storm. "I love you, so much."

  "I love you, too. I do." He rocked Luke, patting and stroking his back.

  "I'm sorry."

  "For what?" Luke wasn't the one who needed to apologize.

  Luke actually chuckled, sniffled. "I don't know."

  "You don't need to apologize, baby." He hugged Luke tight.

  "He's not coming back tonight, right?"

  "If he has a half a brain he's not ever coming back." He couldn't help but growl.

  "Or he's waiting for us downstairs or to get you fired."

  "I told my boss what he'd done. I'm not getting fired." He'd been very upfront with Fillian. Hell, it was why they'd dropped Banner Inc.

  Luke's heart was slamming, breath shallow.

  "It's okay, baby. You're safe here, I promise."

  He was not letting Nathan take their evening away from them. "Pizza. Dessert. Movie. Us. It's on its way and we're going to enjoy it."

  "We are?" Luke almost smiled.

  "We are. Let's start with your chocolate thing you brought." It was something cakey, right?

  "Cupcakes."

  "Oh. Yum." He grinned. "It's in the TV room I think. We were gonna eat it and instead you let me feel you up."

  "Right." Luke was trying to relax, he could tell.

  He rubbed Luke's back as they walked down the hall. God, he couldn't imagine how hard it had to have been for Luke to face all that alone, then to take a job where he might come into contact with his attackers.

  "You know how brave you are, baby?"

  Luke shook his head. "I'm a coward."

  "You lived through it. You kept moving."

  "I did. I didn't let it take everything."

  "That's right. And now you're getting us back."

  They settled into the chair, Luke grabbing the box of cupcakes. "Do you think so?"

  "We're sitting together in the best chair in the world, eating chocolate cupcakes before supper. I do think so."

  Luke gathered up a finger full of chocolate icing. "Me, too."

  Affton leaned in and wrapped his lips around Luke's finger, sucking on the chocolate and lovely skin. Luke's eyes watched his mouth, and Affton could feel the look, like a touch. He licked around the whole fingertip.

  "Affie." Luke sounded turned on.

  He hummed and scraped his teeth along the pad.

  "Oh, God." Luke leaned forward, nuzzling his temple.

  He had to work not to catch his breath as his cock jerked in his jeans. He did moan around Luke's finger, loath to let it and break the moment.

  "You want another bite?"

  He finally pulled off and met Luke's eyes. "Yes, please."

  Luke was panting hard, shivering, but Affton didn't believe the man was scared at all. He licked his lips and watched Luke. More chocolate icing was scooped up, then offered to him. He held Luke's eyes as he began to suck. Luke's eyelids got heavy, lips parting. He moved his head slowly up and down on Luke's finger this time.

  "Affie. Oh, God. Oh, God, love."

  Moaning, his prick hard and leaking, Affton sucked harder.

  "Your mouth. Your mouth. My love."

  He finally pulled off. "You want it somewhere else now, baby?"

  "I... I... Oh, God." Luke arched, hand opening his jeans.

  Affton's heart started beating harder and he froze, barely able to believe.

  "Please touch me again? Please, love. I want to be hard for you."

  He helped Luke take his prick out of his underwear and leaned forward, kissed the tip.

  "Please." Luke arched, thighs tightening as he pushed up.

  "I love you, baby." Affton licked Luke from his balls slowly up to the tip. He moved to kneel before Luke, hands cupping the sweet ass.

  He pulled slightly and slid his lips around the head of Luke's cock, sucking softly as his tongue slid back and forth across the slit. The sweet, soft cock felt amazing in his lips, salty, warm. He didn't try to rush it, didn't try to force it, he simply worshipped Luke's cock.

  Luke leaned back, breathing slow, thighs spreading. Affton left the lovely cock for a moment, nuzzling Luke's balls, breathing on them, taking one into his mouth.

  "You're touching me."

  He let Luke's ball slide free. "I am. I never thought I'd get to touch you again."

  "I didn't either. Your mouth is so soft."

  "You taste amazing. Better than any ch
ocolate cupcakes." He took the head of Luke's cock back between his lips, sucking. He was gentle, but not tentative. This was his lover.

  He slid his right hand down to play with the flesh behind Luke's balls, touching the softness and warmth there. Luke's moan made him smile. Yes. Yes, feel that.

  He kept sucking, kept playing and loving on Luke. Slowly but surely, that sweet cock filled, Luke beginning to moan with pleasure. He wanted to crow about it, but he didn't. He focused on nurturing that pleasure, increasing it. He wanted to make Luke come.

  "Affie. Affie, for you. Oh, God. Do you feel that?" Luke's fingers brushed through his hair, the touch achingly sweet.

  He pulled off long enough to tell Luke, "I feel you. And I taste you--so good." Then he went back to trying to make Luke come for him.

  "I want to come. I want to be naked with you and sleep with you and be your lover."

  He nodded, taking more of Luke's prick into his mouth as he did.

  "I want to not be scared and to sleep."

  He bobbed faster, sucked harder. He would give that to Luke. He would give Luke everything.

  Luke cried out, fingers white-knuckled on the arms of the chair as the lean hips drove up into his mouth. He opened his throat, letting Luke take what he wanted, what he needed.

  Come on, he begged silently. Do it. Come.

  "Love!" The wild sound was perfect, almost as perfect as the salty, bitter flavor of desire that poured onto his lips.

  He swallowed happily, ecstatic at the taste, at the fact that Luke had come. He held that sweet prick in his lips, cleaning it with his tongue. Moaning, he finally let Luke go, looking up into Luke's eyes.

  "Affie." Luke reached out, cupped his cheek.

  He nuzzled into the touch, then turned his head to kiss Luke's palm. "I made you come, baby. Not in your dreams--for real."

  "You did. It was so good. Thank you."

  "It was my pleasure."

  The buzzer from downstairs went. "That's the pizza." He kissed the tip of Luke's cock. "You wait here."

  "Okay. Okay. You be careful, love."

  "I don't think I have to worry about the pizza boy, baby."

  "Still."

  He kissed Luke hard. "I'll be careful."

  Whistling, he headed to the front door, pressed the intercom button. "Yeah?"

  "Pappa Ginos delivery."

  "Come on up." He buzzed the guy into the building.

  He waited at the door, one hand wrapped around a walking stick he kept there. Just in case. When the pizza guy came up, box in hand, he relaxed. God, Luke had him jumping at... Well, not shadows.

  He gave Bobby a grin. The kid was working his way through college and had been delivering his pizza for more than a year. "How's it going, kid?"

  "Good. Good, man. You got a dude downstairs, trying to get people to let him in. I got your security on it."

  "Brown hair, looks like he's been in a fight?"

  Bobby nodded and Affton growled a little as he handed over some cash for the food and a healthy tip. "Thanks for the heads-up."

  "You're welcome. Enjoy your dinner."

  "Thanks." He closed and locked the door and then called down to the security number to make sure they really were on it.

  "Yes, sir. We've asked him to leave and will make sure he stays gone."

  "Thanks. He'll never be welcome, so feel free to turn him away if he comes back again."

  Confident that Nathan wouldn't be bothering them again, he headed for the TV room, armed with pizza.

  "Is everything okay?" Luke was in their chair, a movie playing on the TV.

  "Yep, everything's good. He put the food down on the side table. "Apparently Nathan's trying to get back in, but security is on it and he's not going to get past the front door." He didn't really want to worry Luke, but he wasn't keeping secrets, either. Luke needed to know.

  "Oh." Luke looked at him. "I... You think he'll be gone when I have to go home?"

  "About that..." He went to kneel by Luke. "I was hoping you'd stay for the weekend. Maybe longer."

  "I... I didn't bring any clothes or my laptop." Luke stroked his cheek. "Maybe...maybe I could spend the night and we could talk more in the morning?"

  "I can live with that." He would be more than happy to suggest a trip back to Luke's place to pick some stuff up and bring it back here. He hadn't even been over to Luke's apartment yet.

  "You hungry?" Luke asked. "You must be hungry."

  "I am."

  Luke scooted over, let him have a space.

  "Mmm. See? One chair is just perfect, isn't it?" He cuddled with Luke and passed him a slice of pizza.

  "It is. We fit so nice."

  "We do. We always did." He put his arm around Luke's shoulders and tugged him closer. "I love you, baby."

  Luke nodded, leaned hard against him.

  "Eat. I'm hoping you're going to need your energy later." He wanted to make love now that Luke could get it up again.

  Like Luke had heard Affton's thoughts, he asked, "Do you think we're going to make love?"

  "I hope we are. I want to make you feel good again."

  "I think it's probably my turn to make you feel good." Luke focused on the pizza, cheeks fiery.

  "How about we make each other feel good?" he suggested.

  "That works for me."

  They ate, quiet, the silence filled with anticipations. The movie played in the background, easy to ignore in favor of watching each other. They devoured the pizza, and he pulled out the cannolis, but Luke refused, shook his head.

  "Later?"

  "Yeah. Yeah, I'm full."

  "Okay." He put away the pizza, closed up the box and handed over a napkin.

  "Thank you." Luke cleaned those sweet, soft lips.

  "Oh, let me help you with that." He leaned in and licked at the corner of Luke's mouth.

  "Affie. Affie, that's so good."

  He smiled and traced Luke's lower lip. Luke moaned, then copied the motion, tongue sliding along Affton's. He returned the moan, touched Luke's tongue with his own. Luke shifted, moved to straddle his thighs, then framed his face with those long hands and kissed him.

  He opened up to Luke's kiss, hands circling the lean waist. His mouth was explored, Luke taking his time, tongue tracing his teeth. His prick pushed up against his pants, eager to respond to every touch. Luke moaned, the sound sliding into his mouth.

  "You want to take this to the bedroom, baby?"

  "Yes, love. I want to see your bed."

  "I'd like that, too." How many times had Luke slept over in the last few months but it had always been in this chair? He grabbed hold of Luke's ass and stood, taking his lover with him.

  "When did you get strong, love?"

  He snorted. "Baby, you don't weigh a thing."

  "Still makes you look like a stud."

  He grinned. "I'll take it."

  He carried Luke into the bedroom. Luke didn't tense, the man trusted him, held on tight. Nudging on the light with an elbow, he flooded the room with a low light. His bedroom was masculine and clean, inviting.

  "I love how it smells in here." Had anyone ever said anything so erotic to him?

  "Thank you, baby. I'm hoping it's soon going to smell like us." He went to the bed and sat, settling Luke in his lap.

  Luke pressed closer, lips sliding against his. He opened his mouth, inviting Luke in.

  "I love you. Still." Luke kissed him, slow and deep.

  Something inside him bloomed. "Yes. Love you, too, baby." So much it was insane.

  "Good." Luke smiled at him, and for a second, he saw pure joy.

  His breath caught in his throat. God, his lover was beautiful. He could have stared all night. He really could.

  "You okay?" Luke asked.

  "Yeah. I am. Really, really okay."

  "Oh, good. I want you to be. Okay."

  "I want you to be happy. I want you to be in love with me. I want you to know I love you. I want you."

  "Then we're lucky." Luke
looked at him, laughed. "I'm lucky."

  "Yeah. We are." He licked across Luke's lips and then took another kiss. "Let me make love to you."

  "Please. Please. I promise not to cry."

  He drew back, looked into Luke's eyes. "If you don't want to, Luke, we don't have to." He was not going to force himself on Luke. Not now, not ever.

  "I know. I want to, but I might get emotional." Luke looked so serious. "I don't know what will happen."

  "As long as you promise to tell me if you need me to stop." Affton needed to know Luke would talk to him instead of running. He needed Luke not to be scared of sharing anything at all with him.

  "I swear. Can't you just kiss me?"

  He laughed, brought their mouths together. He was kissing Luke, in his bed. In his fucking bed. He slowly lay down, bringing Luke with him. His heart was beating hard and he resisted the urge to pinch himself.

  Sliding his tongue into Luke's mouth, he slowly deepened the kiss. His lover held him, relaxed against him, opened. God. He wanted to turn them over and just fuck Luke into the mattress, bury himself in the tight little body. He didn't. He was good. He was going to take his time and make sure Luke wanted to do it over and over again. More than that, he wanted to erase the bad memories, replace them with their love, their passion.

  He wrapped his hands around Luke's waist and slowly worked Luke's T-shirt up.

  "I haven't been naked with another person since the last time we made love."

  "I'm glad," he admitted. He hated the reason why, but at the same time he was fiercely glad there hadn't been anyone else.

  "Me, too." Luke unbuttoned his shirt. "Affie, I'm getting hard again, for you."

  "Yay." He grinned, pushing up against Luke, groaning as their middles slid together.

  "Uh-huh." Luke's fingers tugged the curls on his belly.

  He pushed up again, loving the way their bodies rubbed together. Luke was hard for him, and he reached down, popped the button on the man's jeans, for the second time that night. And this time he knew Luke was hard. It was heady, exciting.

  He teased his way inside Luke's pants. It surprised him, when Luke shoved his jeans and briefs down, baring himself for Affton.

  "Oh, baby..." He licked his lips, hands sliding around Luke's prick, holding it, feeling it.

  "Please. You, too." Luke leaned down, tracing the same path his tongue had gone.

  He grabbed for Luke's tongue, chuckling when his lover evaded his attempts. Giving in, he undid his slacks, pushing them and his underwear down, off. He took the time to shrug out of his shirt and strip Luke out of his shirt as well. Then there they were, lying naked together for the first time in years.