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by Dawn Kimberly Johnson

  Alec bucked off the bed to follow Eli’s hand. “You said s-so. Ughn…. You m-made me say I want to f-f—”

  “I’ve changed my mind.” Eli grabbed Alec by the hair, kissing him until he was gasping.

  “What’s gotten into you?” Alec asked.

  “I loved watching you take charge at the party tonight,” Eli said. “You were brilliant!” He squeezed Alec’s cock again, and the man quivered, his eyes rolling back in his head. “And now I want to fuck you. I’ll get the lube.”

  Alec stopped him. “What about your leg?”

  Eli rolled his eyes. “I’m fine, Alec.”

  But Alec sat up, grabbing him and flipping them on the bed so that Alec was on top.

  “Hang on!” Eli said.

  “Shhsh, trust me.”

  Eli stilled his protests as Alec finished stripping and grabbed the lube from the bedside table. He dropped it on the bed and pulled Eli’s pants off. Alec straddled him and began stroking their cocks together. Eli grinned, his eyelids nearly closing as Alec leaned in for a kiss, smashing their cocks between their bodies. The feel of skin on skin, the scent of Alec, their tongues playing off one another, made Eli’s head swim, and he quivered delightedly.

  During their months together, they had taken the time to get to know each other as lovers, learning what the other liked or didn’t like, experimenting with positions that took Eli’s damaged leg into account and might allow him to top when he got the urge. Eli heard the “pop” as the lube was opened, but he didn’t feel the coolness he expected—or where he expected. Alec broke the kiss, and Eli watched him prepare himself to be entered.

  The light from the bathroom continued to flicker annoyingly, and Eli cursed silently, wishing he had paused to screw that bulb in tighter, or even replace it. This was a moment he definitely wanted to watch. He grinned, his cock throbbing, as Alec worked his fingers into himself.

  He shoved aside his slight disappointment; this position ultimately still left Alec in the driver’s seat, just as Eli had been in charge in the tub earlier. Even so, he licked his lips, breathless, as Alec took hold of him, guided him into place, and slowly lowered himself onto Eli’s shaft.

  The faint light from the bathroom inexplicably stopped flickering and fell on them. And mesmerized, Eli could see the benefits: Alec’s head tilting, eyes closing, and mouth opening slightly, making the loveliest O with his lips. He’d never been comfortable with Alec watching him too closely when they were together—at first because of his scars, but now for other reasons—and he found it hard to believe he looked like this to Alec. I can’t be this beautiful.

  Alec was hot and tight—so tight—Eli fought the urge to speed things along, not wanting to hurt him. He was patient and soon found himself buried in his lover to the hilt. He offered up his palms so Alec could balance properly. Concentrating on the other’s breathing, they matched their rhythms, the two of them fucking almost silently as they gradually increased their speed.

  A sliver of moonlight peeked through the window nearest the bed, revealing a fine sheen of sweat on Alec’s skin, and Eli bit his lip to keep from reacting to the sight of him gasping and moaning above him. His hair hung limply, sticking to his forehead. The image of him, the feel of being inside him, the scent of his sweaty skin, and the soft sounds escaping his lips all conspired against Eli successfully keeping this up much longer. He suddenly freed one of his hands from Alec and reached for his lover’s cock.

  Alec’s head jerked forward, and their pace increased until they were panting each other’s names. Thanks to Eli’s efforts, Alec came first and came hard, spurting over Eli’s hand, arm, and chest. Before the tension left Alec’s body, Eli stiffened beneath him, and he spilled himself inside his boyfriend. Alec collapsed on top of him, and Eli barked in surprise as the air left his lungs in a rush.

  “Oops.” Alec smiled and nuzzled Eli’s neck. “Mmm… feels like you’ve been wanting to do that for a while.”

  “I love being inside you,” Eli whispered, grabbing a fistful of Alec’s hair and tugging a bit, “but you cheated.”

  “Huh?”

  “You topped from the bottom, love.”

  Alec laughed. “Oh… sorry. Not what you had in mind, huh?”

  “It was lovely.” They kissed, and Eli patted his behind. “We should clean up.” He wiggled, grimacing at the stickiness on his chest that would soon bond to Alec’s if they didn’t wipe it away.

  “I got it,” Alec said, kissing him and hopping up, heading for the bathroom. Eli stretched and sighed as he heard the water come on briefly. But then he heard the vanity being opened and Alec knocking about.

  He sat up on his elbows. “What are you doing?” He didn’t get a verbal answer, but after a few more moments, the light went out in the bathroom, then returned bright, strong, and steady. He smiled and flopped back down on the bed. Alec joined him seconds later with two warm washcloths, and they began cleaning up.

  Eli could see Alec had something to say. “What is it?”

  “I am sorry, Eli. I just thought your leg might—”

  “Don’t worry about that. I’ve been working out.” Eli winked. “I’ll have ya yet.” Alec grinned nervously.

  They finished, and Alec balled up Eli’s cloth with his and, rising up on his knees, threw them all the way into the bathroom, where they smacked against the back wall and dropped directly into the clothes hamper. “Aw! I’m awesome!” He fell back down next to Eli, who embraced him.

  “Yes, you are,” Eli whispered, kissing him softly and smiling. Alec snuggled in close to him, and Eli pulled the covers over them.

  They lay in silence for a good while, Eli absently stroking Alec’s hair as he rested his head on Eli’s shoulder. He tightened his arms around Alec, and his boyfriend responded in kind, the heat from his body radiating down Eli’s side where they made contact. Eli wriggled his toes, which only reached to Alec’s ankles, and giggled.

  Alec grinned, craning his neck slightly. “What?”

  “I feel so short next to you.”

  “I’ve only got you by a couple of inches, babe,” Alec said, settling back into his spot and kissing Eli’s neck. “You’re perfect.”

  Eli frowned. Not hardly, love. He changed the subject. “You were great tonight.”

  Alec yawned. “Thanks. You’re quite the ride yourself.”

  Eli laughed. “I meant at the party!” He continued laughing.

  “Oh.”

  He couldn’t see it, but Eli was sure Alec was blushing.

  “I’m glad you were able to calm… Micheal…?”

  “Um, yeah, but his friend said Mickey.”

  “Well, you were brilliant… very sexy.”

  “I wish he’d told me the problem,” Alec said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. “But he wouldn’t or couldn’t articulate it.”

  “Talk to Tony or Lyle. Maybe you can track him down through the staffing company they used.”

  Alec yawned again. “Yeah, I could do that.”

  Eli tightened his grip on Alec again, and in his sleep, Alec responded again in kind.

  THE sun smacked Alec in the face. He woke to find it spilling across the bed but mostly on his side of it. He stretched and yawned noisily, cutting it short when he became aware of a weight tucked against his side. Eli liked sleeping closer to the wall, boxed in, and since he was now on Alec’s left side, he’d apparently crawled across him at some point during the night to reach his favorite spot. He suspected Eli somehow felt safer that way. Alec looked down to see him curled up near his abdomen, his mouth at Alec’s ribs, making his skin tingle with each exhalation. Eli had also kicked his covers off and lay naked beside him. Probably a nightmare. His left arm lay across Alec’s middle, and his right arm rested under his chin like a cat’s paw. Alec reached down and stroked Eli’s mop of dark brown hair, causing him to stir.

  “Mmm… morning,” Eli moaned as he slid upward to reach Alec’s lips. He started to kiss him but stopped himself. “Or maybe I should
say ‘morning breath’.” He chuckled. “Sorry.”

  “You apologize too much. Come here.” They kissed for a long time, Eli stretching out on top of him, their hands coming together. Alec looked at how their fingers mated, fingertip to fingertip. “Eli?”

  “Yes?”

  “Why did you bother learning ASL when you took your gap year?”

  “Mmm.” Eli kissed and sucked on Alec’s earlobe, and Alec shivered happily. “I already knew BSL from living with my auntie.” He rose up briefly to look at Alec. “I told you she was deaf, didn’t I? She’s how I got interested in interpreting.” He kissed Alec’s cheek and the corner of his mouth. “But I figured ASL would make me more useful.” He smiled brightly and gazed into his boyfriend’s eyes. “You Yanks have an awful habit of finding your way over here, you know?” Alec laughed, and they began kissing again. Eli paused again, looking at him. “You want to practice the alphabet?” he asked.

  Alec smiled. “How do you manage to make that sound sexy?”

  Eli laughed. “I don’t know, but you’ll need both hands for BSL.” He dove back in to kiss and bite Alec’s neck.

  Alec sighed and grinned. “I would love to, but I’ve got an early class.”

  Eli sighed. “Very well.” He rolled off Alec, flopping onto his back next to him.

  Alec tilted his head as if he were listening for something or someone. “I wonder if Ilsa is up yet.” He sniffed the air for the aroma of brewing coffee or frying sausage.

  “Why?”

  “Because I have to get to my room to shower and get some fresh clothes, and I’d rather not startle her with my manliness.”

  Eli laughed out loud. “It’s not like it would be the first time.” Alec started to get out of bed, but Eli quickly climbed over him and, grabbing his cane, padded across the floor toward the bathroom. Alec smiled, watching Eli absently scratching his beautiful bottom as he went.

  He got up and began collecting his clothes from the floor. “That’s my point. I’d like to avoid doing that again.” He knelt on the floor and fished his boxer briefs from under the bed. He heard Eli say something and raised his head. “What?”

  Eli flushed the toilet and turned on the shower. Then he poked his head out the bathroom door. “I said, how do you propose to remedy it?” He vanished again.

  Alec got up only to drop on the bed to slip his pants on. “We could get our own place… like Tony and Lyle… maybe even in the same building. Dra—uh, I’m told there will be units opening up there in a month or two, maybe sooner.” He looked at the bathroom door, expecting to see Eli reappear, but he didn’t. Must be in the shower already.

  Alec held the front of his slacks together and gathered up his shoes and remaining items. He struggled to open the door without dropping anything and slowly poked his head out. He scanned the hall, listening for sounds from the kitchen, before exiting Eli’s room and dashing up the stairs like “the other man” trying to avoid being caught by a jealous lover.

  On the second floor landing, he slammed his toe so hard at the start of the next set of stairs that he saw stars and lost his breath for a moment. After he recovered, he continued—much more slowly and limping a bit. Having their own place where they could truly live together, could share a bedroom and home, was becoming a more appealing idea to him by the second.

  Eli, however, remained frozen on the other side of his bathroom door. Alec’s suggestion echoed in his head as his shower grew cooler. It had never occurred to him to leave this house. Apparently… it had occurred to Alec.

  Chapter 8

  ABOUT ninety minutes later, after hearing the front door open and close a couple of times, Eli poked his head out of his bedroom. The only noises he heard came from the kitchen and were accompanied by some heavenly aromas. He headed that way and found Ilsa and Casey leaning against the island, kissing, and Tony sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee.

  “Well, if it isn’t Eli of the long showers,” the artist said softly. His eyes were puffy and red, and Eli was convinced there was more than coffee and cream in his cup.

  He pulled up a chair and eyed Tony suspiciously. “How are you doing this morning?” Tony didn’t answer, but he squinted at Eli as if he were looking at the sun and began massaging his skull. Eli smiled. “That bad, eh?”

  Ilsa suddenly realized another person had joined them and disengaged her lips from Casey’s, allowing the young nurse to try her hand at flipping some chocolate chip pancakes. “Eli! Excellent!” Ilsa said.

  “Shhh!” Tony said.

  “Coffee, Eli?” Ilsa asked more softly. She held up the carafe while watching Casey out of the corner of her eye. Casey flipped the pancakes beautifully and beamed at Ilsa proudly, prompting the beautiful chef to begin kissing her again.

  Eli grinned at them. “Ahem! Yes, please.”

  Ilsa poured him a cup, brought it to him, and then quickly returned to Casey’s side. “Oh, I almost forgot,” she said. “Alec had to rush out to class. He told me to tell you he’d see you at the gym later.”

  Eli frowned as he sweetened his coffee. “Thanks.” He’d successfully avoided discussing moving out by lingering in his room, but they had a date at the gym to work out together and he had a physio appointment he couldn’t miss.

  “He tried to wait,” Casey said, concentrating on the last few flips she had to do. “That was an awfully long shower you took this morning.”

  “Uh, yeah, sorry about that.”

  Ilsa went to work finishing up the sausages as she watched her girlfriend neatly stack the remaining pancakes on a plate. “Ta dah!” Casey exclaimed, causing Tony to wince.

  “Very good, sweetie,” Ilsa said before kissing her again.

  “Are you going to feed us or just stand there snogging?” Tony asked.

  Ilsa rolled her eyes and whirled on him. “Excuse me, but you don’t live here anymore.” Tony calmly sipped his cup dry and held it out for Ilsa to refill. “It’s no longer my job to feed you,” she said as she walked over and refilled his cup.

  “Here you are,” Casey said, proudly setting down a plate piled high with chocolate chip pancakes and sausages. She giggled. “I’m feeling all domestic, serving our men.”

  Eli chuckled at that, thanking her and pulling the plate of food away from Tony’s horrified and nauseated face. Ilsa replaced it with a saucer sporting two aspirin. “Eat up, sugar,” she said, patting Tony on his sensitive head.

  He popped the aspirin in his mouth. “I’m going to lie down,” he mumbled. The three of them watched silently as he shuffled away toward the living room with his coffee.

  “What’s he doing here so early?” Eli asked.

  Casey set plates out for each of them and started parceling out the food. “He came stumbling through the door this morning at eight complaining that Lyle was on a cleaning spree.”

  Ilsa laughed. “He said he’s allergic to cleaning before noon, so he came over here to be properly pampered.”

  Casey’s pancakes were delicious, and they ate in silence for a while. Eli was aware of some foot play under the table between his two friends, but he pretended not to notice. When the phone rang, Casey jumped up to answer it, wolfing down the last of a sausage on her way. “Hello?”

  “What are your plans today?” Ilsa asked Eli.

  “Um…,” he began around a mouth of food. He paused to finish chewing and swallow. “I have a client followed by practice with friends for my next level of certification….” His voice trailed away, and his face darkened.

  “Eli?”

  “Then I’m meeting Alec at the gym. We’re working out together.” He knew he sounded less than enthused.

  “Is that a problem?”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment or two. “Are you really peeved at Tony and Lyle for leaving?”

  “Of course not, silly!” Eli watched her viciously slice up a sausage before taking a bite of it. “I was just giving him a hard time. I still have you and Alec.” Eli smiled weakly. “Why do you ask?”


  “Alec mentioned—”

  “I have to go, I’m afraid,” Casey said, returning to the table and tearing a bit off one of Ilsa’s remaining pancakes.”

  “Oh, sugar,” Ilsa whined.

  “I put my name in for extra hours if they needed, and… they need.”

  “Shower?” Ilsa asked, standing and wrapping Casey up in her arms. She nibbled her neck as her hands began to roam.

  “Mmm… better not.” Casey caught Ilsa’s hands in hers. “I’ll shower and change at the hospital.” Her kiss, sweet with syrup, promised delightful things later for Ilsa, so they grinned at each other as Ilsa released her. “Maybe we could all meet for lunch? Around one thirty?”

  “I might do,” Eli said, running through his schedule in his head and calculating how much time was needed for each activity he’d committed to.

  Ilsa appeared to be doing the same. “Mmm, better make it two,” she said. “I can go into work early after.”

  Casey nodded and looked to Eli.

  “Sounds good,” he said.

  “Great. See ya.”

  “What? No kiss?” he asked.

  Casey laughed and kissed the top of his head before heading upstairs to retrieve her clothes.

  With apparent hunger in her eyes, Ilsa watched her go. “Now… Alec did what?” she asked, sitting back down.

  Eli glanced at the clock on the wall and quickly drained his coffee. “Oh nothing.” He got up and grabbed his messenger bag and cane. “I’d better get going.”

  Ilsa watched him hurry down the hall and out the door before moving to the sink to start the dishes.

  LYLE rushed from the bathroom to answer the cordless phone in the great room. He tugged the yellow rubber gloves off his hands on the fourth ring.

  “You’ve got Lyle.”

  “Hey there.”

  “Alec? How are you? I hope you and Eli had a good time last night.”

  “We did, Lyle. A great time. Are you busy?”

  “Just cleaning. What can I do for you?”

  “I wonder if you might have the number for the catering staff you used for the party.”