Don't Read in the Closet volume one

by Various Authors

  “Well, what are you waiting for?” Jonah called before vanishing under the surface.

  Laurie shook his head and got to his feet. “What, indeed?” he murmured. And then he dove off the platform and went to claim his prize.

  FIN

  Author bio: Piper Vaughn wrote her first love story at eleven and never looked back. Since then, she’s known that writing in some form was exactly what she wanted to do. A reader at the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book—Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, she loves them all (and has a thousand book library to prove it!). She grew up in Chicago, in an ethnically diverse neighborhood, and loves to put faces and characters of every ethnicity in her stories, so her fictional worlds are as colorful as the real one. Above all, she believes that everyone needs a little true love in their life…even if it’s only in a book.

  Visit Piper at:

  Website: http://pipervaughn.com

  Facebook: http://facebook.com/pipervaughnn

  Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/pipervaughn

  And her joint blog with M.J. O’Shea: http://mjandpiper.blogspot.com

  Silvia Violet – TIME TO TELL (Military/Friends to Lovers)

  Selected by Silvia Violet

  Dear Author,

  We grew up together, best friends and all that. Joined the Army, damn the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" crap! We almost lost one another on a special mission....how does our story play out?

  [PHOTO: Two muscular men in an army locker room are locked in a tight, passionate, face-to-face embrace. Camo pants around their ankles, faces buried in each other's bare shoulders, they press together. One man reaches over, arms braced on the lockers. The other, knees bent, clutches his lover's ass and pulls the man against his waiting erection.]

  Sincerely,

  Patricia

  Genre: Contemporary

  Tags: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, military, friends to lovers, first time, coming out, anal play

  Words: 3,183

  TIME TO TELL

  By Silvia Violet

  Marty had relived the moment a thousand times. If he’d hesitated for even a second. If he’d been reluctant to blow a hole in the man who appeared like a part of the night itself, his best friend would be dead.

  He and Jacob joined the army together when they were eighteen. They both wanted to escape from the podunk town they grew up in, and the army was their best choice. But for Marty being a soldier meant hiding who he really was.

  Jacob knew Marty was gay. He’d known since they were in high school. When Marty came out to his best friend, Jacob hadn’t cringed or told him to get lost or punched him or any of the other terrible things he imagined. Of course he hadn’t done the one thing Marty longed for, pull Marty into his arms and confess that he was gay too and that he wanted Marty like he wanted air to breathe. Not that Marty expected that fantasy to come true.

  More than once, he’d caught Jacob watching him with heat in his eyes when he thought Marty wasn’t looking. And he’d seen Jacob look at other men in a way he never looked at women. But if Jacob was gay, he’d never admitted it, and Marty hadn’t been willing to risk their friendship by revealing his true feelings.

  But now everything had changed. He’d almost lost Jacob last night. For that split second when he hadn’t know whether Jacob was dead or alive, his heart shattered as he imagined his friend dying without ever knowing how much Marty loved him.

  When he realized he and Jacob were pinned down with no chance of back up, he knew that their chances of surviving were low. His life had been in danger plenty of times since he signed up, but he’d never been so certain that he looked death in the face. Regrets crashed down on him, nearly making him come unglued. If he hadn’t been able to hold it together, they would both be dead. Marty swore that if he lived through the night, he was going to do his best not to waste another second pretending to be someone else.

  He was going to tell Jacob how he felt. He’d either screw up their friendship or have a chance at a real relationship with the man he loved. Once he told Jacob, he was going to apply for a discharge. Living in the closet was no longer good enough for him.

  Marty paced, his boots slapping against the concrete floor of the barracks. He hadn’t been alone with Jacob since they were rescued. Jacob’s wounds, though not serious, needed to be cared for, and Marty had spent hours giving his report of the evening’s proceedings to his superiors. Now that Jacob had been released from the doctor’s care, it was his turn to be questioned.

  Marty leaned against the wall and rested his head on his arm. Jacob had been gone nearly two hours, surely he’d be back soon. Marty was about to tell his best friend that he was in love with him. He wondered for a moment if he’d lost his mind. Then he pushed away from the wall, strengthening his resolve once again. He’d almost lost Jacob last night, and their lives were on the line here every single day. He wasn’t going to his grave without bringing his feelings into the open.

  A change in the light made him turn. Jacob stood in the open doorway of the barracks, blocking the hot desert sun. Before his friend had a chance to speak, Marty said, “Let’s take a walk.”

  Jacob nodded and turned back toward the outside. They walked across the base in silence. When they neared the edge of the encampment, Marty took Jacob’s arm and steered him to a small storage building. Jacob raised his brows “What are you doing?”

  “I got the key from Wolf,” Marty answered.

  “How?”

  “I told him I needed some privacy. He didn’t ask any questions. Probably thinks I want to bring some girl here.”

  Jacob shrugged. “Okay.”

  Marty locked the door behind them as soon as they got inside. The building was filled with rows of metal shelves, many of which held boxes and cartons that looked like they hadn’t been touched in years. Chairs, tables, a desk and some old lockers had been placed along one wall.

  Marty turned back to Jacob. His friend’s eyes filled with intense emotion. “Marty?”

  Marty’s breath caught and his voice shook as he answered, “Yeah?”

  “I was really scared out there. I…you saved my life and I...”

  “I love you.” The words just came. Marty had no power to stop them.

  Jacob frowned. “I know I-“

  Marty shook his head. “No. I <"i">love you. I’ve loved you for years. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t. Then when I thought I was going to lose you-“

  Jacob cut of his words with a kiss. Marty stumbled backwards in shock, crashing into a row of lockers. When he recovered, he pulled Jacob against him and opened his mouth to the assault, letting Jacob taste and explore. Marty massaged his friend’s shaved head with one hand and sank his other hand into the muscular flesh of Jacob’s ass as Jacob groaned against his mouth.

  Jacob ground his hips against Marty, pressing him into the cold metal. Jacob’s hard cock felt like a lead pipe pressing into Marty’s stomach. Marty thrust against him, rubbing their cocks together.

  Marty tilted his head to the side as Jacob’s lips left his and slid along his neck. Jacob licked him, tasting the sweat that covered them constantly in the vicious heat. Marty groaned as his best friend whispered against his skin. “Marty, I love you too. I didn’t think you wanted to hear it, didn’t think you wanted me like that.”

  “Oh God, Jacob. I-“

  Jacob silenced Marty with a finger on his lips. “I don’t want to talk anymore. I just want to feel. I need to know that you want me like I want you.”

  “Want you?” Marty couldn’t hold back a laugh of joy, astonishment, confusion. “Jacob, I’ve wanted you forever.”

  “Then show me.”

  His friend’s words drove Marty crazy. He thought his brain might combust trying to process what was happening. He tried to force it to shut down If Jacob didn’t need to think then neither did he. What they needed was to feel alive, desired, finally able to be themselves.

  Marty needed to get Jacob naked, to run his han
ds over his friend’s beautiful body. He also needed to spread Jacob’s ass and bury himself inside, but he knew he had to slow down and savor the moment. He ran his tongue along the outer edge of Jacob’s ear while Jacob sucked at his shoulder. “Have you ever been fucked by a man?”

  Jacob shook his head. “Hell, no. There’s never been anyone but you.”

  Marty smiled against him and wrapped his hand around the back of Jacob’s neck, pulling his head to the side. He ran his tongue along the tight muscle at the side of Jacob’s neck. “There isn’t going to be either. You’re mine, and after I fuck you, we’re going to get discharged, and then we’re not going to hide the fact that we’re lovers. If people don’t like it, they can fuck off.”

  Jacob pulled free and stared at Marty, eyes wide. “Shit, Marty, I-“

  “I almost lost you last night, lost you without ever even kissing you. I’m not going to go another day without this.” Marty pushed up Jacob’s t-shirt and pressed his hands to Jacob’s back, frozen for a moment as he took in the reality of the smooth skin and hard muscle under his hands. The heat of Jacob burned into his palms as he slid his hands ever so slowly upwards.

  Jacob shuddered as Marty kissed him, licking at his lips, tasting him slowly after the hurried passion of their first kiss. He pulled his lips away long enough to yank Jacob’s shirt over his head and then quickly dispense with his own shirt and toss both on the floor.

  Marty licked and nibbled his way across Jacob’s rock hard pecs, stopping to tease one of his nipples. Jacob sucked in his breath and took Marty’s head between his hands as he writhed under the ministrations of Marty’s mouth. Marty circled Jacob’s wrists, pulling his hands away. “Brace yourself on the lockers and don’t move.”

  “Marty.” Jacob’s tone held a warning.

  Marty looked up, smiling at the heat still making Jacob’s brown eyes nearly black. “Trust me.”

  A few seconds passed. Then Jacob nodded. Marty knelt in front of him and continued his explorations of his friend. When his tongue reached the waistband of Jacob’s pants, Marty unfastened them and freed Jacob’s cock. He couldn’t keep from licking his lips at the sight of Jacob exposed for him.

  The muscles of Jacob’s thighs and abdomen were tight, tense. The metal lockers clanged against the wall as Jacob tightened his grip on them. But if Jacob was uncertain about what was happening, his cock definitely wasn’t. It was thick and hard, the tip dark and needy. Marty wrapped one hand around the shaft and licked at Jacob’s slit, tasting the pre-come beaded there.

  Jacob made a strangled sound between a growl and a whine. Marty glanced up and smiled before sucking the tip of his friend’s cock into his mouth.

  “Fuck, Marty!”

  “Mmmhmm,” Marty agreed, his mouth still around Jacob’s cock. He sucked harder, taking more of his friend into his mouth. Marty could feel Jacob straining to keep himself still. Marty licked and sucked reveling in the taste that was uniquely Jacob. He slid a hand between Jacob’s legs to tease his balls, and Jacob obligingly opened his legs wider.

  Marty sucked a finger into his mouth alongside Jacob’s cock, getting it good and wet. Then he sought Jacob’s ass and pushed his way inside. His friend gasped and thrust hard, shoving his cock deep into Marty’s mouth, the sudden intrusion making Marty gag.

  “Sorry,” Jacob panted.

  Marty pulled off long enough to say. “Don’t hold back, Jacob. I want you to fuck my mouth.” He smiled at the wide-eyed look on Jacob’s face as he swallowed him back down, working his finger deeper and sliding his tongue along the underside of Jacob’s cock.

  Jacob broke when Marty pushed a second finger in his ass. His thrust hard and fast into Marty’s mouth. Prepared this time, Marty relaxed and took it, wrapping his hands around Jacob’s hips to steady himself and reveling in the pent up passion they were finally letting loose.

  “Christ, Marty. I’m gonna come.”

  Marty tightened his grip on Jacob’s hips holding him tight so he wouldn’t pull away. Jacob shuddered and bucked against Marty’s lips as he poured his come down Marty’s throat. When Jacob sagged against the lockers, Marty pulled off his cock, giving it a few last kisses before he stood, unfastening his pants as he did so.

  He shoved his pants down and wrapped his arms around Jacob, desperate for some contact against his cock. He wanted to bend Jacob over and fuck him until he couldn’t sit down for days. He took a shaky breath instead. He could go slow for Jacob’s sake. Really, he could.

  He pulled Jacob to him for another kiss, groaning as their mouths opened to each other. He slid a hand down to his cock and worked it between Jacob’s legs, sliding it against his friend’s ass. He released Jacob’s mouth and whispered against his ear. “Do you feel how hard I am for you? I want to be the first man, the only man to stuff your ass with my cock. I want to hear you cry out my name as I stretch you out and work myself deep inside you.”

  Jacob rubbed himself against Marty’s cock. “Yes, Marty! God, yes!”

  “Let’s use the desk.” Marty pointed to a large, sturdy-looking desk in the corner. Jacob stumbled toward it, his pants still trapped around his ankles. He laid over the end, exposing his ass to Marty. Marty smiled in appreciation and caressed his ass. “Gorgeous, but I want to see your face when I’m inside you.”

  Jacob groaned as he tried to fight his way out of his boots and pants. Marty took pity on him and knelt to unfasten his boots and help him get all the way naked so he could climb up on the desk and spread his legs.

  Jacob bent his knees so his feet were braced on the edge of the desk. Marty pulled a small bottle of lube and a condom from his pocket and laid them on the desk beside Jacob. Jacob looked at Marty, and his eyes widened as if he’d realized for the first time that Marty was really going to slick up his cock and put it up Jacob’s ass.

  “You okay?” Marty asked. He didn’t know how the hell he’d survive if Jacob wanted him to stop. He also knew how important it was not to screw up this fragile new relationship.

  Jacob nodded. “I’m fine. I just…..”

  Marty smiled. “I’m going to make sure you’re ready. Trust me.”

  Marty slicked his fingers with lube and slid two fingers into Jacob’s ass. He watched his friend close his eyes and moan as Marty worked the digits in and out. He added a third finger, and Jacob tensed, but he pushed against Marty, taking his fingers deeper. “Damn, that burns, but….it feels good, too.”

  Marty grinned. “It’s going to get even better.” He slid his fingers in and out slowly, twisting and scissoring them, wanting to be sure Jacob was good and ready, but he grew more and more impatient by the second. He felt like he’d waited a lifetime to do this with Jacob rather than years.

  He wrapped a hand around Jacob’s cock which was hard again and straining upward. Jacob bucked up into his hand. “Marty, please.”

  Marty smiled. “Please what?”

  “Fuck me.”

  Marty wasn’t going to deny him for another second. He rolled on a condom, squirted more lube onto his fingers and slicked his cock. Jacob wrapped his legs around Marty’s waist as Marty aimed his cock for Jacob’s hole. Marty groaned as he pushed inside his friend. Jacob tensed, hands scrabbling against the desk, trying to find something to hold on to. “Damn, you’re big.”

  Marty smiled. “Too much?”

  Jacob shook his head. “Want. More.”

  Marty pushed harder until he was all the way inside the man he’d loved for so damn long. “Feels so good,” he groaned.

  Jacob nodded, his pupils were dilated, and he was lifting his hips, trying to get Marty to move. For a moment Marty was afraid he was dreaming.

  “Marty, please!”

  No, this couldn’t be a dream, he could never have imagined that desperate, pleading tone coming from his friend. The fact that he’d so broken Jacob’s control made him crazy. He pulled back until only the tip of his cock remained inside Jacob. Then he drove in harder than he should have. Jacob bucked against him, digging his
heels into Marty’s ass. “Yes!”

  Marty started seriously fucking Jacob then, spurred on by the needy sounds and mumbled words spilling from his friend’s mouth. Jacob met every stroke. He wrapped his hands around Marty’s biceps as Marty leaned over him, giving him leverage to slam his hips against Marty’s. Marty knew he was being too rough for Jacob’s first time, but he couldn’t stop himself. He was out of his mind with need. If he didn’t come soon, his heart was going to stop. “Jacob. I need you. I-‘

  “Oh God, Marty make me come.” Marty wrapped his hand around Jacob’s cock, a few firm strokes was all it took before his friend cried out and shot his load, coating Marty’s hand with stickiness.

  The grip of Jacob’s ass around his cock as Jacob came undid Marty. He gave a hoarse shout and slammed into Jacob as his orgasm took him so hard he saw stars. When his body finally ceased its shudders. Marty collapsed on Jacob.

  Jacob wrapped his arms around Marty’s back and held him tight. “That was amazing,” Jacob said, the words breathy and soft.

  All Marty could do was nod against his chest. Several long moments passed. They didn’t talk, but they caressed each other, and Marty pressed soft kisses on Jacob’s chest enjoying the taste of sweat and come and Jacob.

  When he thought his legs would hold him, Marty peeled off his friend and stood. The building was rarely used, but he couldn’t guarantee their privacy forever. They needed to get dressed and get back to the barracks. A reprimand on his record would make his discharge process even harder.

  Jacob sat up. Marty pulled on his pants and held Jacob’s pants out to him. Instead of taking them, Jacob pulled Marty between his legs and cupped his friend’s face in his large hands. “You were right. We’re not ever going another day without making love to each other.”

  Marty’s chest tightened and tears burned behind his eyes. He’d not let himself dare to hope he’d find this kind of acceptance from Jacob. “No, we’re not.”

  Jacob frowned. “I want to be a soldier. I’m proud of what I’ve done since we signed up, but I can’t deny what I feel for you anymore.”