by Anya Byrne
After breakfast, they said their goodbyes to the family, promising one more time that they would come visit again soon. Beyond that, they barely spoke to each other after Parker had agreed to go with Finn. The tension between them was almost palpable, so much so that Parker feared what he'd do if he even looked at Finn.
At last, they headed out to the car. Finn slid into the driver's seat, while Parker took shotgun. "Where are you staying?" Finn asked him.
His voice sounded husky, conjuring images that made the otherwise innocent inquiry seem like so much more. Parker shook himself and replied, "It's a smallish bed and breakfast called Amaretto."
"Amaretto?" Finn asked as he started the car. "You mean, like the drink?"
Parker shrugged. "I know, it sounds strange, but the guy who owns it... We're old friends."
They'd been more than that, of course. Jensen was the closest thing he'd had for a brother, at a time when brothers had been in short supply. He'd kept Parker going all throughout their stay at the orphanage. Even after Jensen had been adopted, he and Parker had remained in contact, so his small hotel was the natural choice for when he stayed here.
Finn must have noticed the affection in Parker's voice, because he narrowed his eyes. "Oh?"
That one syllable held a loaded question. Technically speaking, Parker didn't owe him any explanations. Perhaps he should have bristled at the reaction, but instead, he found it almost... endearing. Well, no, maybe endearing wasn't the right word. But it was a sign, a confirmation of what Parker had already sensed—that maybe Finn wanted more than a roll in the hay. If he felt threatened by Parker's old friend... That meant something, right? Or Parker could just be fooling himself. God, he didn't even know anymore.
Too late to go back now. He'd already told Finn bits and pieces of his past, and he had no regrets—and no qualms about saying more. "He and I grew up together in the orphanage," he explained. "The name of his hotel... It's really from this funny story. We were like thirteen years old or something, just brats really. We sneaked into the office of the head of the orphanage. She had a bottle of amaretto. We knew because we'd always see her taking sips, and it smelled sweet, like bitter chocolate—which I loved. So, we sneaked in there and got totally wasted. And between sips, we swore we'd always be friends, and that someday, we'd find futures elsewhere."
Finn's disgruntled expression settled into something sad, but fond. "Let me guess. You wanted to help other children like you. You and Gavin would probably make great friends. He worked as a guidance counselor for high school kids."
"Worked?" Parker repeated. He wasn't surprised to hear about Gavin's chosen profession, but for some reason, that word—or rather, its past tense—stood out. "Did he give it up because of his injury?"
"Temporarily," Finn replied, but his voice sounded tense, and Parker wondered if he'd said something he shouldn't have. "To be honest, I'm not sure if he plans to go back or not. What with the baby, and now his brothers..."
"That makes sense." Parker smiled, hoping to dissolve the sudden discomfort. "You know, I'm a little jealous. Your brother has a beautiful family."
This time, when Finn looked at him, there was no trace of that shadow that had briefly flitted over his face. "He does. Gavin makes him very happy, but you don't have to be jealous. You can have that too."
Parker froze. There was a reply on the tip of his tongue, something that sounded alarmingly like "with you?" But no, that made no sense, because he could not possibly be thinking about starting a family with some guy he'd just met. They had chemistry, yes, an irrationally intense one that could explode into something dangerous. But chemistry alone couldn't form the basis of a long-term relationship.
And yet, this thing between them was more than just chemistry. God, what had he gotten himself into?
He might have said or done something stupid, but Finn took pity on him. "I'm not sure where your friend's hotel is located. Can you direct me there?"
It was silly, but Parker took refuge in that and he focused on giving Finn directions instead of his own confusion. A little while later, they pulled into the parking lot of the bed and breakfast. Now that they didn't have the drive as an excuse, Parker suddenly didn't know what to do. Was he supposed to come out and say, "Hey, I like you, wanna fuck?" Or maybe a euphemism would work better. "Come up for coffee?" Did that even work when the invitation involved a hotel room?
"So... Um... This is me," he stammered in the end. "Thank you for the ride."
Finn smiled at him. "No problem."
Parker was just about to open the car door and beat a hasty retreat in the face of his own inadequacy, but then Finn gently cupped his cheek. "I really want to kiss you right now. Can I kiss you?"
Parker licked his dry lips and pushed back the part of him that still reeled away from the depth of what Finn made him feel. "I'd like that."
Finn pressed their mouths together, the kiss a gentle lip-lock that held both comfort and seduction. Parker's misgivings melted like they'd never been. He reached over and wrapped his arms around Finn's neck. When Finn pulled him past the stick shift and into his lap, Parker went eagerly, craving everything Finn had to offer, needing Finn more than he did his next breath.
To be fair, the kiss wasn't the most comfortable one possible. Finn was a big man, and the space in the car cramped. The wheel dug into Parker's spine, and he ended up hitting the car horn with his ass. Really, when movies depicted couples making out in cars, they probably had either really limber actors or ridiculously large vehicles.
Nonetheless, Parker didn't mind the discomfort. In fact, he'd have probably done something really stupid—such as asked Finn to fuck him right then and there—if a knock hadn't sounded on the car window.
Parker broke away from Finn so fast his head had an unfortunate meeting with the car ceiling. Underneath him, Finn went rigid, and Parker had a moment when he thought the man's eyes were glowing with anger. He must have hit his head harder than he'd realized.
Shaking himself, Parker faced the window, and was unsurprised to see Jensen standing there, arms crossed over his chest, a shit-eating grin on his face. Parker mentally sighed, already anticipating the merciless teasing he'd suffer for this little incident.
Deciding things wouldn't get any better if he hid here with Finn like he actually wanted, Parker opened the car door and managed to slide—or stumble—out. "Hey, Jensen," he greeted his friend.
"And hello to you too," Jensen replied. "You know, when you said you were dropping by, you didn't mention you'll be bringing a boyfriend. Who's the beefcake?"
As he spoke, Jensen wrapped his arms around Parker's shoulders. The beefcake in question was out of the car so fast Parker's head started spinning. Somehow, he managed to extricate Parker from Jensen's hold, although for the life of him, Parker couldn't have said what method he used. He just knew that suddenly, he was flush against Finn's muscular chest instead of in his friend's embrace.
"I'm Finn Simmons," his unexpected captor introduced himself, "Parker's boyfriend. It's a pleasure to meet someone so close to him."
Parker's mind was fixed somewhere around the point of Finn identifying himself as his boyfriend. When the hell had that happened? Finn definitely hadn't consulted him about it, and hell, it shouldn't make Parker feel warm inside like it did. Annoyance. Yes, annoyance, that was it. He should be focusing on annoyance, because he was already falling hard and fast for this man. He didn't need to act even more idiotic about it.
He freed himself from Finn's hold, although the moment he did so, a feeling of loss invaded his chest. It was harder than it should have been to focus on Jensen, but he tried to do it anyway. "Finn was just giving me a lift here. Sorry about the... thing."
He couldn't define it any more accurately than 'thing'. It was embarrassing anyway that his friend had caught him with his proverbial pants down, making out like a horny teenager with a man he'd met a few days ago.
At the last moment, he remembered he hadn't officially introduced Jense
n to Finn. "Oh, and Finn, this is my good friend, Jensen Moore."
Finn didn't reply, and Jensen seemed to figure out something was wrong, because his grin faded into a more sedate expression. He shot Finn a skeptical, almost suspicious look, and then shrugged. "Let's go inside," he told Parker. "You can unpack, maybe get some rest if you feel like it."
Parker dared to steal a look at Finn, which was probably a mistake, because the look on Finn's face made his heart race and his mouth go dry. God, Parker wanted him, more than he ever remembered wanting anything or anyone. That scared him. It was a recipe for disaster. Finn might be a good man, but his life was here, with his brother, and their beautiful family—a family to which Parker didn't belong, no matter how much he'd have liked to.
There was a struggle in Finn's gray eyes, making them look stormy, almost surreal. "I... I was wondering if we could talk."
He sounded... hesitant? Parker wasn't sure, because none of the emotions displayed on Finn's face could be easily identified. He realized he was playing hot and cold, which felt immature and more than a little ridiculous.
After all the sexual tension that had been building between them, Parker owed Finn at least one conversation. He'd promised it to Finn, two times now. Even if they didn't take this any further, Parker had to make it clear, since at the end of the day, he still respected and liked the man.
So Parker smiled at Finn and nodded. "Come on. We can have a chat in my room."
Finn's nostrils flared at the word 'come' and Parker belatedly realized he should have offered for them to speak at the bar if he hadn't wanted to pursue anything intimate. Too late now. Withdrawing the offer would only make things awkward, and well... A part of Parker—an uncomfortably large part—didn't want to withdraw it.
Jensen accurately read the tension between Parker and Finn as he slid a key into Parker's palm, and then discreetly took his leave. Parker had no doubt that his friend would later ambush him with questions and reprimands, but for the moment, he respected Parker's choice.
Once Jensen was gone, some of the stiffness left Finn's shoulders. "He cares for you deeply."
Parker nodded, unable to hold back a fond smile. "He's like the brother I never had."
Finn winced. "I'm sorry. I probably acted like a real asshole. I just... I was jealous."
For some reason, Parker found that adorable, and really a man as handsome as Finn shouldn't have managed to be adorable too. It delivered a lethal blow to Parker's already dubious resolve. He leaned against Finn, drawn to this man more than he could possibly explain or understand.
"No need for jealousy," he whispered. "I'm all yours."
Parker had no idea where the words came from, but they had quite an effect. Finn moved so quickly that before Parker knew it, he was pinned against the car, Finn's larger body immobilizing him against the metal. Finn buried his face in Parker's hair and inhaled, as if trying to take in his scent. From this position, Parker could feel almost every muscle in the man's body—from his chest, to his muscular thighs—but also everything in between. And oh, he could never get tired of the way Finn's erection nudged him so insistently. Distantly, he remembered there was something he and Finn had been talking about, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out its importance.
Finn didn't help his focus. He blew a gust of hot air in Parker's ear, all the while grinding his hips against Parker's. "I want you," he murmured, his voice filled with gravel. "Tell me I can have you, baby. Say it again, that you're mine."
"I'm yours," Parker repeated obediently, breathless and dizzy with need. In his heart, he knew that phrase held a pledge it was unwise to make, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
Finn released a low growl that made Parker shiver with an arousal he could no longer control. He was one step away from reaching between their bodies and gripping Finn's cock. Or better yet, dropping to his knees and taking it into his mouth.
But now was neither the time, nor the place for it, and they both knew it. "Inside," Finn said against his lips, not kissing him, but taunting him with the promise. "Now."
Parker nodded dazedly, and then Finn was gripping his wrist and dragging him toward the building. As they entered the bed and breakfast, Finn arched a brow at him and Parker realized he hadn't actually explained where they were going. Thankfully, Parker stayed here on a regular basis and Jensen always gave him the same room, so they didn't need directions. "This way," he said, pointing toward the stairs. The croaked sound of his own voice surprised him, and it made Finn lick his lips, as if he could taste Parker's lust in it.
"Quickly."
They didn't run into any staff, fortunate because Parker didn't think delays would have stood well with either of them. A minute later, they were standing in front of the door to Parker's room. Well, standing might not have been the accurate term. Parker fumbled with the keys, and his hands shook so badly he ended up dropping them. At that, Finn lost his patience and pinned him against the door. This time, he didn't tease. Instead, he took Parker's mouth in a devastating kiss that rivaled the make out session they'd had in the car.
He thrust his tongue into Parker's mouth, devouring, tasting, exploring. Parker eagerly submitted to it, more than happy with this plan. At the same time, he did some exploring of his own. The quest for the key was forgotten as he allowed his hands to roam over Finn's muscular form. Finn's clothes were in the way, barring Parker's access. Why in the world were they still dressed? Oh right. Room. Key.
It was the hope of actual privacy that gave him the strength to break away from Finn's addictive embrace. He leaned over to grab the fallen key, only to realize the position showed off his ass to Finn. Finn made a pained noise which filled Parker with a mix of confidence and arousal.
He took more time than would have been warranted to pick up the key, arching his back and wiggling his ass, putting on a bit of a show. He would have felt ridiculous if not for the way Finn's groan turned into a savage growl.
And then, Finn was snatching the key from him and shoving it into the lock. He didn't even wait for Parker to stumble inside. He just grabbed Parker and draped him over his shoulder, carrying him through the now open door.
The room was familiar, even if Parker never left any personal possessions behind. Finn set him down on the bed Parker had used so many times before, only throughout lonely nights. It definitely didn't seem like he'd be lonely today. Parker barely had the chance to breathe before Finn was on him, tearing at his clothes with a level of sexual despair that rivaled the one building inside him. Finn's desire for him momentarily swept him off his feet, and for a few seconds, Parker could only lie there and take in the pleasure of Finn's caresses. Finn moved breathlessly fast, already working on removing Parker's clothing. Parker tried to help, but he only managed to get tangled in the sleeves of his jacket. Finn made a frustrated noise and yanked. Buttons flew all over the place as Parker's dress shirt yielded to Finn's strength, and really that display shouldn't have been as arousing as it was.
And Finn wasn't done yet, not done by far. The rest of Parker's clothing became his victims. He didn't encounter as many problems with the jacket, somehow managing to help Parker out of it without even jarring his shoulders. Parker managed the unexpected performance of toeing off his shoes, which gave Finn the green light to dive for his pants.
Just like that, Parker ended up naked on the bed, while Finn was still completely dressed. Finn looked down at him, his eyes hot and stormy, and Parker had the strangest thought that he had suddenly become prey for a very dangerous predator. In that moment, there was nothing Parker wanted more than to surrender to it, to be devoured, taken, claimed.
He itched to reach out to Finn and touch him, to disrobe Finn as well. He wanted to finally see what he'd so far only touched through the barrier of clothing. However, Finn made no move to fix the problem of his non-nudity, nor did he approach Parker further. Parker began to feel self-conscious about it. Finn had seemed to desire him before, but a guy like that probably had a ridicu
lous number of suitors and lovers, men and women alike. Now that he'd seen Parker naked, had he lost interest?
The thought made his brain work again and he started to get up, planning to salvage what was left of his dignity. Finn's hand landed on his chest and pushed him down. "Shush. Let me... look at you."
The words froze Parker, or rather, melted his muscles, along with the doubt that had crept into his soul. How could he have disregarded the heat in Finn's eyes? It was so obvious, so genuine, and so much more than Parker even dared to acknowledge.
Finn had told him to be silent, but Parker couldn't have kept himself from speaking if he'd wanted to. "Finn," he whispered, "touch me."
It was enough, more than enough, because whatever had been holding Finn back dissipated, and then Finn was on him, even more frantic than before. He crushed his lips to Parker's, thrusting his tongue inside Parker's mouth, taking no prisoners. Finn's hands roamed, touched, caressed, teased and altogether drove Parker crazy with lust. Parker wrapped his arms around Finn's neck, trying to pull the other man closer, ever closer, unable to get enough.
He pulled at Finn's shirt, but unlike Finn, he wasn't strong or coordinated enough to get rid of the damn thing. Thankfully, this time around, Finn got the message. Without separating their mouths, Finn worked his own buttons open with even less delicacy than he'd used on Parker's. Parker could have sworn he heard some seams rip, and oh God, it got him so hot. He bit on Finn's lower lip, wordlessly encouraging his soon-to-be lover.
In response, Finn tore their mouths apart altogether. Parker had a brief moment of panic during which he thought he'd messed up, but that idea, along with most everything else—except holy shit, Finn!—shattered into tiny unrecognizable pieces when Finn crawled down his body and took Parker's cock in his mouth.
Finn's mouth was so hot, so ravenous that Parker had no hope of withstanding the assault. Finn's tongue worked him so expertly, sweeping over his throbbing shaft with so much skill and thoroughness that Parker felt like he was coming undone, much like his clothing had earlier. How fitting that Finn could do both so effortlessly.
