Uneasy Pieces: The League, Book 4

by Declan Rhodes

  He was very big. His cock wasn’t so much long as it was thick. In the back of my mind, I began to worry about fit. I had sex with one guy who we literally couldn’t get inside me. Fortunately, versatility paid off and I fucked him. We still had a great time and a good laugh about it after.

  Marshall rolled the condom down over his cock while I watched. His cock was long enough to make a graceful curve upward. My mouth watered while I thought about it inside me and dreamed about taking it in my mouth to wake him up in the morning. He spread my legs and pushed my ankles up over his shoulders. Then he said, “I’m big, Jordan. It might hurt a little.”

  I moaned, “I want you so badly, Marshall. I don’t care.”

  He pushed gently at first, and I responded by pushing out. I gripped the bedsheets with my fists when I felt him pressing at my ring. He whispered, “Relax, Jordan, relax for me.”

  I closed my eyes and breathed deeply while Marshall continued to push. Sweat popped out across my brow while I kept trying to push out and at the same time take relaxing breaths.

  Finally, it happened, and I yelped before I could clench my teeth and stop myself. His head popped past my ring, and it hurt. I opened my eyes wide, and set my jaw against the pain. “Oh, fuck, Marshall!”

  He whispered, “I told you,” and then he gently started to rock back and forth. Before long the edge of the pain began to fade, and I arched up into him.

  “No, it’s good,” I moaned, and then I began to moan louder. It did feel good. The pain made me feel like a bottom. I was there to take it. I was there to revel in being pounded by his big cock.

  Marshall wrapped his thick fingers around my cock and began to slowly stroke. I opened my eyes and stared at his magnificent body then whispered, “Fuck, close…already.”

  He let off, but then he stroked again. After a few more quick strokes I came. I yelled out and shot hitting both my chest and his abs. He responded by rocking back and forth faster pushing himself. He wanted to cum, too, but then he slowed in frustration.

  I gripped the base of his cock with my fingers and whispered, “Let me do it.”

  Marshall pulled out rolling over onto his back. It only took a few more minutes for my alternating slow and fast strokes to bring him to the edge. I was kissing him hard when his hips bucked and he shot big ropes of cum into the air.

  I collapsed against his chest slicked with sweat. He stroked the hair on the back of my head while his breathing slowly returned to normal. Our first sex wasn’t perfect. In fact, it was a little awkward, but it was good, and I was excited for the next step forward with Marshall.

  That’s why I was shocked when thirty minutes later Marshall said, “It’s been a great evening, Jordan, but I need to go. I’ve got an early meeting in the morning with another faculty member. I hope you understand.”

  I started to say, “But you can…” Unfortunately, he was already standing and pulling on his jeans. He leaned down and gave me one last kiss while I was still lying on the bed, and then he was gone.

  11

  Marshall

  I was literally shaking by the time I walked through my front door. My fingers struggled to get the key inserted into the lock of the kitchen door. I pounded my other hand against the door shouting, “Damn!” to anyone who could hear.

  Finally, the key slipped into the lock, I turned it, and the kitchen door opened. I stepped inside the house and then slammed the kitchen door behind me. When I bent over and put my hands on my thighs, the tears started to come. I let my body slide down against the door until I was sitting on the floor. My body continued to shake as the tears rolled down my cheeks. I was crying hard. It was out of my control.

  Almost half an hour passed before the shaking calmed and the tears began to dry. I pulled my knees up and put my head in my hands. I tried to think and figure out what was happening. It didn’t take long before I began to figure it out and put the simple pieces together.

  Reaching out for the kitchen counter, I pulled myself back up to a standing position. I stumbled to the sink and got myself a glass of water. I drank that, and then I drank a second glass. I was dehydrated from both the sex and the tears.

  Speaking out loud to the world in general, I said, “Fuck, Jordan, I’m so incredibly sorry.”

  The door to my bedroom was open upstairs. The bed was made, and everything was neat and tidy in its place. I vacuumed just the day before. I found what I needed to see sitting on the dresser. It was a framed photo of Neil and me taken before the diagnosis. I grabbed the frame, held it to my chest, and then climbed on to the bed. I curled up nearly into a fetal position, and the tears came again.

  I don’t know how long I cried that time. I cried myself to sleep, and then I woke five or six hours later feeling achy. The framed photo was sitting on the nightstand, and I was still fully dressed. I stripped off the clothes down to my underwear and glanced once more at the photo before sliding into the sheets on the bed and falling back asleep.

  The next morning my head thumped like I had a hangover. I tried to piece together the events of the evening before. I remembered Jordan asking about sex, and then I wanted to show him what a great guy he was. The sex wasn’t perfect. It was awkward, and then I lost it. I left him in his bed with just a very weak made up explanation from me.

  I remembered when he jacked me off. I looked up into Jordan’s handsome, young face, and I saw Neil there. It made me shudder again to think about it. Just like in a movie, Jordan’s face morphed into Neil. Their look was similar enough that it wasn’t a dramatic change. It was just like they slipped back and forth from one to the other.

  I didn’t know what it meant, but I knew that I couldn’t stay. I had to be alone. I had to leave. I’m sure that I left Jordan in shock, and I wasn’t sure what to do. I got up and wandered to the bathroom, relieved myself, and then I climbed back in bed and went back to sleep.

  I literally slept all day long. I was disoriented when I finally got up and the sun was starting to set in the sky outside. My stomach was growling for food, and my throat was so dry it hurt. I stuck my head under the faucet in the bathroom and drank. Then I brushed my teeth. The feeling of clean from the toothpaste helped me wake up more.

  Stumbling back into the bedroom in just my boxer briefs, I picked up the phone from the nightstand. I saw from the messages that Jordan tried to call and so did Billy. I wasn’t really ready to talk to either one of them. Instead, I wrapped a bathrobe around myself, dropped the phone in the pocket of the robe and made my way downstairs gripping the banister hard to steady myself.

  There wasn’t a lot of food in my refrigerator, but the yogurt looked like the best option. I quickly brewed a cup of coffee and grabbed the yogurt container and a spoon in the opposite hand from the coffee mug.

  My head was starting to clear when I sat on the sofa. I needed to contact Jordan. After running multiple scenarios through my head, I opted for one that wasn’t really the truth, but I thought it would buy time and hopefully reassure him that he didn’t do anything wrong.

  I pulled the cell phone out of my pocket and slowly typed in a message that read:

  I’m so sorry, Jordan. Some kind of bug came on fast, and I wasn’t feeling well. I just now woke up, but I feel a whole lot better. It really was a great evening. Thank you.

  It only took a few short minutes to receive a response, and it made me smile.

  I was worried, but I’m glad to hear you’re okay. I can’t wait to see you again, Marshall. Take care of yourself!

  I successfully bought myself the rest of the day to be alone. I turned on the TV to look for a mindless show and spooned the yogurt into my mouth. It tasted good. I blinked my eyes and relaxed on the couch. I knew that I would need Billy later to help me sort it all out. Among his other gifts, he was a great observer of people. I knew that he would have opinions and observations about what was going on.

  12

  Jordan

  I didn’t see Marshall again until the next softball game rolled aro
und. I got a few more text messages in response to my questions. They all pretty much said the same thing. He was not feeling well, but he was sure that he would be okay. Marshall thanked me for my concern, and he hoped to see me again soon.

  I considered skipping the softball game, because I was pretty sure Marshall wouldn’t be there. Then, at the last minute, Shane called me and asked if I would be there. He must have sensed some hesitation in my voice because he said, “Please, Mr. Vaughan. I’ll do some math problems over the summer if you come.”

  I laughed out loud and said, “I’ll be there. Tell Joey I’ll be there, and we’ll cheer your new coach on to victory.”

  “And your new boyfriend,” said Shane.

  I said, “Yes, my new boyfriend.”

  The softball team looked like it had a big hole in it to me. I wasn’t sure who would be playing left field, but the team had three other players, any of which could be substituted in for Marshall.

  Ten minutes before the game was set to begin, Billy jogged over to the bleachers and asked if he could speak with me for a few moments in private. I excused myself from Shane and Joey and stepped behind the bleachers.

  Billy said, “Marshall said to let you know that he couldn’t make it to the game. He is feeling better, but he didn’t think he should push his body with a game today.” Then Billy looked into my eyes and said, “And I hope this isn’t all news to you, or I think I’ll strangle his scrawny neck later.”

  I laughed and said, “No, I was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to make it today. Thank you for sharing the news, though.”

  Billy shifted his weight back and forth from one leg to the other and then brushed his long hair back over his shoulder. He asked, “Are you leaving immediately when the game is over?”

  I said, “I don’t need to. I picked up Shane and Joey, but I can send them home on the bus.”

  Billy said, “Oh, I don’t think that would be necessary, but I would like to talk to you for a few more minutes when the game is over.”

  “Absolutely. So for now, get back out there. I held up a hand for a high five.” Our hands smacked together, and I said, “Say hi to Blake for me, too. I’ll have his fan club in the stands with me.”

  Billy grinned and said, “Will do.” Then he turned and jogged back out to the field to join the team.

  Part of me wanted to see the team struggle with Marshall’s absence. I wanted it to be obvious that he was absolutely necessary for their success, but it didn’t turn out that way.

  Blake was the star of the day. He put the Soft Serves ahead with a three-run home run in the first inning, and they were never seriously challenged after that. In the stands we all cringed and tried not to look when Antonio and Lowell nearly collided behind second base. Fortunately, at the last minute, Lowell successfully called Antonio off and caught the ball.

  Shane leaned toward me and said, “They are looking amazing today.” He asked, “Will Marshall be back for the next game?”

  I said, “I think so. He just was feeling a little under the weather today.”

  At the end of the fourth inning, Shane said, “We’ve been talking to Coach Powell some already, and he has great ideas for next season. It’s going to be so hard to wait for spring. We’re gonna win the conference this season.

  Joey gave him an elbow in the side. He leaned forward and turned toward me saying, “Shane always has really big dreams, but I agree that Coach Powell will be good for the team. He does have some excellent ideas, and he really does know how to play baseball.”

  Three innings later, the final batter for the opposing team popped up a ball on the infield. Antonio spread his long arms wide and called for it. Then a huge grin filled his face as the ball settled into his glove. It was another win for the Soft Serves and their record stood at five wins with only one loss. It was the best record in the league.

  I told Shane and Joey they had the option of either heading home right away on the bus or waiting for me to finish talking to Billy. Shane said, “I wish we could go to the Toolbox with the team.”

  I sighed and said, “Well, I guess that one isn’t really an option.”

  Joey said, “We’ll wait for you, Mr. Vaughan. Riding the bus isn’t much fun, and we’ll probably still get home earlier riding with you.”

  I heard Billy say to Ian, “I’ll see you guys at the Toolbox in about twenty minutes,” and then he jogged over to speak to me. When he approached me, he said, “Hey, thanks for waiting for me, Jordan. That was some win, eh?”

  I said, “You all look amazing. I just hope Marshall is back to help take the league championship.”

  Billy said, “Oh, I expect he will be at the next game. He’s just in a little tailspin over Neil at the moment. He’ll right the ship. Marshall is tougher than he thinks he is.”

  My brow furrowed, and I asked, “Neil?”

  Billy searched my eyes, and then he asked, “Hasn’t he told you about Neil?”

  I said, “No, who’s Neil?”

  Billy took a long deep breath. Then he hung his head for a moment while his hair fell forward. He brushed it back once more and then looked me in the eye. He said, “Me and my fucking big mouth. It’s not my place to say anything.”

  I said, “But you don’t have a lot of choice now. You brought it up, and I’m confused as hell.”

  Billy said, “Neil was a long ago boyfriend. Many years ago. That’s really all I can say for now. You’ll have to ask Marshall to hear about the rest.”

  “Is it something I should worry about?”

  Billy reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. He said, “Look, Jordan. I’ve been friends with Marshall for over ten years. He’s one of the best guys that I know. Honestly, he is, but he has some baggage. Anyone who is his age does. If you want him, help him unpack it. Trust me. It will be more than worth it.”

  I stared back at Billy, and I could see nothing but honesty in his eyes. I was confused, but there was something very reassuring about his words. I said, “I need to see him again. If you get to talk to him at all, tell him I would like that sooner rather than later. I do really like him, Billy, but this last week has been hard.”

  “I understand,” said Billy. Then he closed his right hand into a fist. He said, “But hang tough, Jordan. You’ve got a man that’s like the kind a lot of guys dream about. Trust me on that.”

  13

  Marshall

  Billy was fuming the next time I saw him. He opened the door and said, “Get your ass in here, Marshall. We’ve gotta talk. I don’t make it a habit of getting in the middle of shit, but here I am. I have a saying my Grandma told me. She said, ‘It’s hard to fall in a pile of shit and come out smelling like a rose.’ She was fucking right about that, but it’s what I’m trying to do here.”

  I gave him a long look and said, “Well, hi to you, too. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but I guess you’ll clear it up? Do you have a beer in your fridge, Billy. It sounds like this might require one.”

  Billy waved toward the refrigerator and said, “Help yourself. Then come join me in the living room. We really need to talk. I hope you’re over your fake sickness.”

  I pulled an IPA from the refrigerator door and rummaged through the kitchen drawer to find a bottle opener. I popped the top off and swallowed a mouthful of the beer. It felt good going down. Joining him in the living room, I said, “You know I wasn’t sick, Billy, but yeah, I feel a lot better now. I think I’m back to my normal self.”

  Billy sat in an upholstered chair, and I settled myself onto the couch. He said, “I hope your normal self is half as good as I made it out to be.”

  I said, “I think you need to flesh out those comments a little bit more. None of what you’re saying is making a whole lot of sense to me.”

  He said, “Jordan doesn’t know you weren’t really sick.”

  “And I don’t think he’s going to find out, is he?”

  “Not from me, but I think you need to talk to him. He’s a good guy
, Marshall, and all I can see you doing is hiding from him. You’re telling him a lie, too. That’s not like you . What’s going on?”

  I sucked down another mouthful of the beer. Then I stared back at Billy. I said, “I freaked out, okay. I’m not proud of it, but that’s what happened. Now I have to figure out what to do. I completely agree about Jordan. He’s a great guy. He didn’t deserve what happened.”

  “Freaked out? Over Neil? I wish I could put this in some really nice, politically correct way, but I don’t know that I can. Neil was more than twenty years ago, Marshall. It’s time to move on.”

  I heard the words, but it took awhile to really process them. I drank more of the beer, looked at Billy again, and then I tried to talk. “Billy, can I tell you what really happened? And please, don’t attack me for it or make fun of me. It’s hard enough as it is.”

  He leaned forward toward me, and he said, “You’re my friend, Marshall, even when you’re being ridiculous. I would never make fun of you over anything serious. What the hell happened? It must have been a big deal.”

  I took a long, deep breath. Then I said, “It was when we were having sex. Things were wrapping up, and I looked at Jordan. Then I saw Neil’s face. You know, like happens on TV. Jordan’s face changed into Neil. Then it was gone.”

  “Damn, I’m sorry, Marshall. And then you ran?”

  “Then I ran. I don’t know what it’s supposed to mean. Maybe because I’m dating somebody as young as Neil was? I mean, there are some similarities in how they look, but they really are two very different guys.” I set the beer bottle down and leaned forward toward my knees.

  Billy said, “You know, Marshall, you can only wear Neil’s ring around your neck for so long. You can’t do it forever, or you’re gonna be alone. I don’t want you to be alone. You could be a really great guy for somebody.”