Founder

by Jodi Payne

  Kelly abruptly broke the kiss and pushed against Aubrey's chest with both hands. “No,” Kelly panted, and Aubrey was so stunned that at first he didn't let go. Kelly repeated himself. “Aubrey? I said no. Let me go."

  Aubrey frowned and his arms fell open. Kelly stepped back, putting more than just an arm's length between them, and all Aubrey could do was stare.

  "We really do have to talk about this."

  Oh, shit. Aubrey felt something start to crumble inside him. “But ... what is there to talk about? I thought—"

  "I know what you thought. I'm saying’ maybe, Aubrey. It just might mean that. But we have got to talk. Not just you, but me, too. We have to...” Kelly gave Aubrey a helpless look and made a gesture like he was looking for a word he couldn't find, “you know ... talk. Work stuff out."

  "Okay...” Aubrey nodded, feeling defensive for no good reason. “Okay, Kelly. We can talk. Will my truck do or did you want to go somewhere more public?"

  "Don't do that, Aubrey."

  "Fine. Tell me what you want, kid."

  "Don't call me ... shit, Aubrey. Are we back there again? Is that all it takes? Get within a few feet of each other and boom! You become angry and defensive and I become—"

  "An asshole?"

  Kelly blinked at Aubrey and his jaw moved like he was trying to say something, but he was too stunned to find the words. Finally he threw his hands up. “I don't know what I'm doing here."

  Aubrey wasn't about to mince words anymore. “I hope you're here because you love me, Kelly."

  Kelly looked up sharply into Aubrey's eyes. “I'll tell you that when I'm good and ready, cowboy, and not one minute before. You don't even know if I want that. For all you know I'm seeing someone else."

  Aubrey nodded, but he knew. “Are you seeing someone else?"

  Kelly sighed and a silence fell between them. After a few moments, Kelly slipped his hand into Aubrey's. “No. Come on, cowboy. I've got a place. Take me home and we'll get this talk over with."

  * * * *

  "Head out that way,” Kelly told him, pointing down county 41.

  "Okay,” Aubrey took a left, not recognizing it at first, but the longer they drove, the more things started to look familiar. “We headed out past my old place?"

  "Out that way, yep.” Kelly nodded.

  Aubrey went quiet. The fact that Kelly wanted to talk was both a good and a bad thing. Aubrey knew this was going to work out, he just didn't know what Kelly's terms were going to be. Whatever they were, he planned to take them very seriously.

  "I'm, uh ... there on the left. Blue house, white mailbox.” Kelly said softly.

  "What? Kelly?"

  Kelly looked at him sheepishly. “Yeah. I did."

  Aubrey pulled into a very familiar driveway, and parked outside a very familiar house. “Why?"

  "Rent's cheap, location is good. Landlord even fixed the shot-out bedroom window.” Kelly sighed again. “And I missed you? Look, don't dig too deep into it, Aubrey, okay? It was probably a stupid thing to do, but I wanted my own place anyway and yours was available and—"

  "Jesus, Kelly."

  "Yeah."

  Aubrey followed Kelly up the walk and through the front door. “So, wait. When you said you knew a place that I could..."

  "I meant this place, yeah."

  Well, that was a step in the right direction. This might not be as bad as Aubrey was afraid of after all. He smiled at Kelly. “As in move in? Here. With you?"

  "We'll get to that, okay?"

  "Oh.” Aubrey tried not to look disappointed. “Oh, okay."

  "Beer?” Kelly offered, heading for the refrigerator.

  "Uh...” Aubrey shook his head. “No."

  "Oh!” Kelly stared at Aubrey, eyes wide. “Shit, I'm sorry. Um, Coke? Fuck, sorry.” The kid looked horrified with himself and Aubrey actually felt bad for him.

  "Coke's good, and it's okay, Kelly. Really."

  "I...” Kelly smiled. “I'll have a Coke, too."

  Aubrey smiled and nodded to the kid. It was a small but kind gesture that wasn't lost on him. “Mind if I have a look around?"

  "Uh, no. Go ahead.” Kelly answered from the kitchen.

  Aubrey wandered a bit. The furniture was all the same, the blinds, the rugs, but there was a snazzy stereo system hooked up to a new television. “Nice,” Aubrey whispered. He made his way past the living room and down the back hall, peeking into the bathroom on the way. It was a mess. Chet used to keep the damn thing neat as a fucking pin, and something about the towel on the floor, the half-open shower curtain, and the blob of toothpaste in the sink brought him an absurd amount of glee.

  He left the bathroom and headed for the bedroom. It looked just like it had when he left, only with a couple of new lamps, a nice plush-looking comforter, and a bright new rug that really jazzed the room up. “You're a—” he started to shout down the hall, but when he turned, Kelly was standing in the hall behind him, a can of Coke in each hand. “Damn good decorator,” he said absently, just to finish the thought. “Hi."

  "Let's talk in the living room, okay?"

  "Wow, you don't trust yourself at all, do you?” Aubrey grinned at him.

  "Shut up.” Kelly turned on his heel and headed back down the hall to the living room. Shaking his head, Aubrey followed. “Sit,” Kelly told him, and pointed to a chair, and as he wasn't in much of a position to argue, Aubrey sat. Kelly sat on the couch opposite him and ran his fingers through his hair. “All right. First, I gotta catch you up."

  Kelly started their talk with a bombshell. Edward Grady had died of a heart attack over the summer.

  "Oh, shit,” Aubrey sighed, fiddling with the brim of his hat. He and Ed hadn't ever spoken again after the fistfight in the barn that eventually sent Aubrey packing. Now he was left feeling guilty that he hadn't even tried to bury the hatchet. Hindsight was a bitch. “Kelly, did I...? I mean, it didn't have anything to do with...?” He couldn't finish that question, so he was hoping Kelly understood him.

  Apparently, Kelly did. “No, no. He was out throwing a ball around with his son Jason and he just fell over dead. I gotta admit, I asked Doc that same question, but he said no. He was real clear on that. He said somethin’ about Ed had a heart condition nobody knew about."

  Aubrey wondered if maybe he should send condolences to Ed's wife, but then he figured she'd take it all wrong. He looked at Kelly. “Still..."

  "Your name didn't even come up, Aubrey."

  Well it was months ago now and if no one had sent a posse looking for him yet, he figured they weren't going to. And now he understood why Haley was so ready to hire him back. “Shit, kid."

  Kelly nodded and the room went quiet. Aubrey put is hat down and sipped his Coke.

  Kelly played with the pop tab on his can, then set it down and walked across the room to a window. Aubrey followed Kelly with his eyes.

  "Is that all you wanted to talk about, Kelly?” Aubrey asked, giving Kelly a nudge. He knew full well that it wasn't, he even had a pretty good guess what was eating the kid, but he didn't offer the answers to the questions Kelly was having trouble asking. It seemed like Kelly needed to ask them when he was ready.

  Kelly shook his head no.

  "So what's up? Level with me."

  Kelly turned back and looked squarely at Aubrey. “I needed to see for myself that you were sober."

  Aubrey looked at him frankly. “I'm sober."

  "I see that."

  The room went silent again.

  "So, now that you've seen it, what's the plan, kid?"

  Kelly shifted from foot to foot and then came back to his chair, his grass green eyes a little brighter than a moment ago. “You seriously are sober?"

  "As God is my witness."

  "No more drunken brawls at Jack's?"

  "Promise.” He'd had to promise Haley the same damn thing. If they were both that worried then it really had gotten as bad as he remembered..

  "Aubrey, are you gonna stay sober? ‘Cause,” Kelly'
s voice was shaking now and Aubrey wanted to pull the kid to his chest and reassure him, but he sat still in his chair. “'Cause, I ain't doin’ this if you ain't sober. Not anymore. Not after those damn phone calls and the shit with that married guy and everything you put me through. You tell me now, Aubrey. And I'm serious; don't fuck with me this time."

  Aubrey's heart started to pound on the heels of those words. He recognized what he was being given, the second chance he wanted even if he couldn't be sure if it was deserved, and he was going to grab hold of it and never let go.

  "Kelly,” Aubrey said, and slipped off his chair, crossing to Kelly quickly before sinking to his knees. He searched those bright green eyes as he took Kelly's hand in his. “I swear on my mother's grave, I am sober,” he said slowly. “And I mean to stay sober. I spent months trying to kill myself drinkin’ and when I finally realized what a stupid mistake I was making I spent ... I don't know how many days burnin’ in Hell to get sober. I'd sooner die than do that again. That's the truth. Kelly.” He nodded to emphasize his words. “That is the truth."

  Seemingly satisfied, Kelly nodded slowly in return and the pained expression started to melt away. “Okay, cowboy,” he said, finally starting to smile again.

  Aubrey swallowed, his heart pounding so hard he was sure Kelly could hear it. “...okay?"

  "Okay."

  "Like, okay we're good? I mean, spell it out for a cowboy, kid, because my heart can't take guessin'."

  Kelly laughed. “Looks like we're good, yeah. Really good."

  Aubrey jumped to his feet and pumped his fist into the air, just hitting the ceiling above. He sent his hat sailing across the room. “Yeeeehaw!"

  "Watch it, Aubrey, I'm not paying to repair a hole in the ceiling."

  "Fuck the ceiling. Come here.” He looped his fingers into Kelly's shirt and tugged their faces close together. “Can I kiss you now or are you going to say no again?"

  "Yes. I mean, no. Shit!” Kelly grinned, shaking his head. “No, I'm not gonna say no again. Kiss me, cowboy."

  What happened after that kiss was so hot and urgent and necessary that neither of them even got their jeans off, both of them already set to pop like corks on New Year's Eve.

  Kelly moaned into Aubrey's kiss and pressed his body into Aubrey's, slipping his arms around Aubrey's shoulders. Aubrey groaned in response and propelled them forward, forcing Kelly's back into the living room wall.

  "Uh!” Kelly grunted with the impact. “Yes,” he breathed, and then savagely took Aubrey's mouth again with his teeth and tongue as Aubrey pinned the kid to the wall with his hips. Their stiff cocks bumped and rubbed against one another through their jeans and Kelly groaned with the friction. “Yeah, right there,” he panted. “Like that, yeah."

  "Yeah,” Aubrey answered darkly. “Fucking hell, yeah."

  Kelly spread his legs wider and Aubrey got a knee between Kelly's thighs and they were suddenly impossibly close, humping against each other and swearing, each of them seeking the friction they craved, working their cocks and chasing down their orgasm with little regard for the other.

  "Shit, Aubrey,” Kelly gasped, his hips rolling, pushing away from the wall and rubbing Aubrey just right. “I'm gonna come! Oh, shit!"

  "Me, too, kid. Right fucking now,” Aubrey warned him with a husky voice. “Gonna ... yes! Right ... uhn!"

  "Fuck!” Kelly shouted with him, and after a few rough and graceless thrusts they both froze, hanging onto the high a while until their panting subsided.

  Kelly's tired voice finally cut through the deafening silence in the room, rousing him. “Aubrey."

  "Oh, uh...” Aubrey groaned as he eased away from Kelly. “Sorry. I uh ... um.” He rubbed the back of his neck and stepped back even farther, giving Kelly some room. “Wow. I'm sorry.” He felt like an ass again.

  "Jesus, don't be sorry,” Kelly said just as awkwardly. “I was all wound up, too, you know?” He hitched his jeans and grimaced. “Just need to clean up."

  "Right. Right, I'll just, uh...” Aubrey gestured across the room. “Right out of the way over here and...” His own jeans were damp and uncomfortable and Aubrey felt like a goddamn horny teenager. He couldn't remember the last time he'd come in his jeans.

  He paced the living room stiffly. It was good to have the edge off, but that wasn't how Aubrey had planned it. After a while, Kelly came out of the bathroom, naked as the day he was born, and went into the bedroom. Aubrey took his turn to clean up and then joined Kelly.

  "What the fuck was that?” Kelly asked him as he climbed onto the bed. He was grinning, and the grin got wider as he looked Aubrey in the eye.

  "A compliment.” Aubrey grinned back, pulling Kelly into his arms. “You had me so hot I couldn't see straight."

  "It was kind of fun,” Kelly said, yawning.

  Aubrey laughed. “It was, right? Kind of.” He surprised himself by yawning back. Kelly was warm and relaxed and being able to hold him close, finally, felt so good. Aubrey felt the final pieces of his new life falling into place as they lay there and laughed at each other.

  Kelly wiggled closer. “Just remind me not to wear those jeans tomorrow."

  "Ew."

  The laughter gradually dissolved into soft snores.

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  After a short nap, as the sun slid out of sight and the room was growing dark, Aubrey woke with his mind on his original plan. Kelly had moved away while they slept and was asleep on his back, his legs splayed and his chest bare and begging for attention. Aubrey thought a moment about letting Kelly sleep, but something told him the kid wouldn't mind being awakened this way.

  He lowered his mouth to one of Kelly's pink nipples and flicked his tongue over it, then closed his lips over the nipple and sucked until it grew plump and stiff against his tongue. His thumb smoothed over the other one and Aubrey's efforts were rewarded with a soft moan.

  "Aubrey,” Kelly whispered his name and rested a hand on the top of Aubrey's head.

  "Right here."

  "God, I know,” Kelly moaned.

  "Like that?"

  Kelly nodded, but what really gave the kid away was the way that Kelly's cock started to fill, growing hard and hot against Aubrey's body. Aubrey slid his mouth higher, brushing his lips along Kelly's collarbones then drawing a line with his tongue up to Kelly's ear. He kissed Kelly's lips lightly, and the kid lifted his chin, trying to make tighter contact. Aubrey let him, slipping his tongue into Kelly's mouth.

  Kelly's body started to move slowly under him, twisting a little this way and little that, hips lifting to press that erection against Aubrey and then pulling away again. “Touch me, Aubrey,” Kelly whispered as he arched his chest up and bent one knee, inviting Aubrey's fingers. “Please, I need you."

  Aubrey traced teasing lines on Kelly's chest as they kissed, then drew his fingers farther down Kelly's tight, tanned body until he found rough curls and then lower, until he held Kelly's cock firmly in one hand.

  "Yes,” Kelly breathed into his mouth. “Tighter."

  Aubrey tightened his grip and stroked Kelly slowly and evenly, listening to the sounds the kid made. Little grunts, long, needful moans, and finally a whimper. Kelly broke the kiss and sucked air deep into his lungs, causing his chest to heave. “Fuck. More, Aubrey. Please."

  "Shhh.” Aubrey soothed Kelly, his tone taking on lilt a similar to the one he used when calming an impatient horse. “All right, kid.” Aubrey slid down Kelly's body again, tasting here and there and grinning when Kelly started to anticipate his next move. He felt Kelly's fingers in his hair again, and Kelly's legs opened wider, that sweet, stiff cock standing out proudly between them, red and hot against Aubrey's chest.

  "Oh, God."

  "Hang on tight, kid,” Aubrey warned, his voice getting rough as his own cock leapt to life.

  "Wh ... what?” Kelly lifted his head and looked down the length of his body at Aubrey who merely smiled at him, licked his lips, and then took the head of Kelly's cock into his mouth. “Oh, fuc
k. Oh, yes!"

  Aubrey spent some time worshipping. He explored and tasted, sucking Kelly's cock and balls like he'd never seen or tasted them before. And really, he hadn't. Not like this, not when they had all the time in the world. Not when it was all about Kelly. Aubrey listened as Kelly groaned and panted, responding to Kelly's physical cues when he could. He did his best to take his time, but his own arousal and his heavy, aching cock grew more and more difficult to ignore every time Kelly said his name or whispered a few hot, begging words.

  "Aubrey! Oh, God. Please! Fuck!” Kelly called out, tugging hard on Aubrey's hair.

  "Patience, kid."

  "Patience? Since when?” Kelly pulled on him again. “Oh, fuck..."

  It wasn't much longer before Kelly started to lose himself to it. His eyes closed, his mouth hung open, and he moaned and rolled his hips. For a while Aubrey let the kid, taking each thrust willingly to the back of his throat, but when he sensed that Kelly was getting too close to losing control, he abruptly pulled away, robbing Kelly of sensation. He soothed Kelly's cry of protest by replacing his mouth with his fingers and whispering against Kelly's warm skin.

  "I love this. I love seeing you like this."

  "This is ... definitely a new one ... on you, cowboy,” Kelly answered breathlessly, his slightly glazed eyes smiling from under damp bangs.

  "Someday I'll tell you who to thank."

  "Someday soon.” Kelly nodded and licked his lips. “Aubrey, cowboy, are you going to fuck me?"

  Aubrey's mouth went dry and his cock jerked with more impatience than he was ready for, making him groan. “Do you want me to?"

  "I'd ask what you were smoking if I didn't know you were sober."

  Aubrey chuckled darkly, brandishing a condom. “Got lube?"

  Kelly reached across to his nightstand. It used to be Aubrey's nightstand. It was possible that it would be his nightstand again. Or might already be? Had they had that discussion without actually saying the words?

  A tube of lube hit him in the chest, derailing that thought process. “Hello? Where did you go?"

  "Oh, um. I went looking for an apartment.” Aubrey raised an eyebrow.

  "Congratulations, you found one.” Kelly pushed up on his elbows and kissed him.