by BA Tortuga
“Oh. Oh fuck. Galen.” That was it, just like that. Shane was right there, lost in it, not thinking of a fucking thing but him.
“Love you like this. Love how hot you are inside. Gonna. Soon.” Pulling free, Galen settled between Shane’s legs, pushing the head of his cock where he needed it the most.
“Love. Now, Galen. Right. Fucking. Now.” Shane pushed, trying to bear down, trying to take him in.
“Shhh. Hush now. Breathe.” He waited for Shane to open back up again, to take a deep, long breath. Then he pushed right in, sliding home like he belonged there.
Those tight muscles rippled around him, working his prick, just driving him out of his fucking mind. Galen groaned, finally letting go of Shane’s hands so he could use one of his own to prop up on, the other to pull at Shane’s cock. He needed to feel it.
“Yes.” Shane’s hands landed on his shoulders, squeezing tight. Shane damn near fucked himself, riding his cock good and hard.
“More.” His hips slapped against Shane’s body, the sound as erotic as anything he’d ever heard. He could smell Shane, all sweat and saltwater and work, and when he kissed that sweet mouth, he figured he’d tasted heaven.
Oh hell yes. Shane just gave and gave to him, bucking on him and kissing him like he was all that.
Galen’s balls drew up, telling him it was all over but the shouting. His thumb pressed against Shane’s slit for a long moment before he gave one more good stroke. He needed Shane with him. He got it too, Shane squeezing his prick so tight his eyes rolled, heat spraying out over his hand. Jesus Christ.
That was it. He lost it, hips sawing back and forth as he pumped into Shane’s body. The storm may not have killed him, but Shane just might.
“Jesus. Len. I. Wow.” Shane chuckled a little, holding him tight. “Damn.”
“Yeah, darlin’. Yeah.” He dropped his head to give Shane a kiss, holding on right back, happy where he was.
He couldn’t wait to do that again. Because that? That was working far better than all the “I love you.”
Galen figured it would do.
Chapter Twenty
FUCK, IT smelled foul.
Shane was in the shop, mucking shit out, trying his damnedest not to hurl at the mold and funk and stink.
Shit, you’d think there was a lizard rotting under the sink.
Still, the house was solid, Galen was working on the deck, and they’d spent two days clearing the road. That county municipal dude said they’d have lights late tomorrow and the water was safe to bathe in. All in all, it wasn’t bad.
Well, except for the Jeep.
Dude.
She looked like a beer can at the end of a jock’s frat party.
He shook his head and pushed another pile of sludge out the door, whistling under his breath.
“Shane? Shane, honey? Are you here? I finally got them to let me fucking dock. I was so goddamn worried!” Wade’s voice rang out, seeming to bounce off everything and fill up the air. Shit. Shit, he hadn’t even worried about where Wade was, what Wade was doing in the storm. Shit. What kind of a friend was he?
“I’m in the bait shop, man. How’d you weather it? The boat okay?”
“The boat’s a little dinged, but it’s all right. Man, you never called me back, even before the storms came in.” Wade barreled in, blond curls bouncing. “Man, this place stinks.”
“I didn’t. I went for a drive. I needed some air.” He needed to think. He needed…. He needed to see Momma.
“Oh. You could’ve come out on the boat.” Wade’s green eyes studied him, sort of guarded.
“No, Wade. No, I couldn’t. I went to see family.” Man, this was weird. “You didn’t get hurt any, did you?”
“Nope.” Wade winked, gave him a grin. “You could check, though.”
Uh. No. No, he didn’t think he could.
Another shadow fell over the door, Len’s big body filling all the available space. “Hey, darlin’, I heard someone pull up. You okay?”
“Yep. Wade came to check on us.”
Thank goodness.
“Oh hey, Wade. Good to see you’re okay.” Man, Len was looming. Wade probably didn’t know it, but Shane had seen it before.
Wade looked back at Galen, nodded. “Same to you, man. I was worried Shane was out here by himself.”
“Yeah. I figured you knew better.” Galen smiled slightly, staring Wade down a little. Not nasty. Just not all sweetness and light. “We managed.”
“Good. Good. I would hate for something bad to have happened to him. Do y’all need anything? There’s lights on the boat….”
Oh, Wade was a sweetheart. Really.
“No. No, we’re supposed to have lights soon, and we’ve got a shitload of work to do.”
Even Len unbent, coming over to clap Wade on the back. “Thanks, Wade. We’re good. Unless you got something fresh on the boat you want to share for supper.”
“The McDonald’s is open, man. That’s supper.” Wade wasn’t a cook. In fact, Shane wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Wade eat something not wrapped in paper….
“Well, we could do that, then.” Look at Len. He looked kinda like Vic the gator when he yawned.
“Nah. Y’all go ahead. I need to go to the condo, see if it’s all cool.” Wade shrugged, gave him a look. “If it’s all good, Shane?”
“Yeah, Wade. Yeah. I… I quit at the club. Me and Galen, we’re looking into other things.”
“You what?”
“I quit working the club for a while.” He held Wade’s eyes. “It was time to do something else.” He hoped.
“Uh-huh. Well….” A hard flush crawled up Wade’s tanned throat, into his cheeks. “Well, good luck, man. You’ll do great. I know it.”
God, he wanted to apologize. Wanted to just hide. “Thanks, buddy. Call us, man. We’ll hang out.”
“Sure. Sure. I’ll give you a call when you get cleared out a bit.”
“We’ll have a beer on me, okay?” Galen chimed in, those big, tight muscles relaxing some.
“Yeah. Yeah.” Wade looked… broken.
“See you, buddy. Don’t be a stranger.”
He watched Wade walk off, and he chewed his bottom lip, just guilty as all hell. Fuck. Fuck.
“You okay, darlin’?” Shit. Len always knew when he wasn’t. Always.
“That was weird. I….” He met Galen’s eyes. “He wanted me to go with him; he wanted lots of stuff. He’s a good guy, you know? But….” But Wade wasn’t Galen.
“I’m glad you didn’t.” Those dark eyes burned for him. “I know he’s your friend, Shane, but I’m glad you came back to me.”
“I had to. I love you.” It was stupid and girly, but there it was.
“I love you right back, honey.” That rough voice went low, growly, and Galen stepped right up to grab him, kissing him until his vision went all fuzzy.
Oh.
“Hey.” He kinda blinked, swayed a little.
“Hey.” Smiling, Galen twirled him around. “What do you say we play hooky and get out of the nasty for an hour or two? See what’s washed up on the beach?”
“Yeah. Hell, yeah.” Just a walk. He could so do that.
“Cool. I need to stretch my legs.” Holding his hand, Len wandered out into the yard, which was taking shape again.
“It’s looking better, yeah? Starting to look like it used to.” He laughed as the pups barreled out, hunting them.
“Yeah. Come on, you mutts. We’re going to have a walk.” Listen to that howl. The dogs were tired of being cooped up too.
Khan bounded over, heading straight for her person. “You’d better brace yourself….”
“Oof.” Len caught the silly girl midair, turning to kind of fling her so she landed a few feet away. Khan tilted her head, wagged, and then ran right at Len again. Someone had a new game.
He hooted, reaching down to scritch Goob’s ears. “Look at them, boy. Look at those two.”
Goob wagged and leaned, just panting away.
“It’s so quiet out here, with the electricity off, huh?”
“It is. Not bad, though, aside from the smell.” That sideways grin had him hooting, remembering that he and Galen had fun together.
“You know how many lizards gotta be in that shop?” He cackled as Goob started hunting, looking for lizards.
“I don’t want to think on it. Or snakes.” There was a cooler in the truck, and Len shrugged when he pointed at it. “I thought we’d get some ice, get some drinks. Have supper on the beach too.”
“Yeah? I can do that. I can so do that.” It was sorta weird, sorta like a dream, having this back.
“Good.” They got the dogs in the back of the king cab and headed out, Galen reaching over to hold his hand.
They drove in the quiet for a while, about until Shane got twitchy. “Whatcha thinkin’ about, Galen?”
“Huh?” Len glanced over, smiling a little. “I was just thinking about how I wanted some fried bread.”
The answer just tickled him, relaxed him, made him nod and chuckle. “I could demolish a funnel cake with strawberry.”
“I could too. Maybe one with bavarian cream.” That shit was nasty, but Galen loved it. Could power it down.
“Mmm-hmm. Funnel cakes, corn dogs—have we ever gone to a fair together?” He’d gone this spring with the guys, goofing off and getting drunk.
“I don’t think so. I mean, we’ve done the boardwalk.” Galen squeezed his hand before letting go to shift gears again. “You okay, darlin’?”
“Yeah. Sort of. It’s different. I’d worked myself all up, been living another whole life, kinda.” He didn’t know how to explain.
“What’s that mean?” Now Len was frowning, kinda glancing at him every few seconds. “I mean, I guess I can figure it.”
“I don’t know. I think it means that I thought I’d lost you, and I didn’t, and I’d got used to… fucking up.” Was that just making it worse?
Galen pulled off at a small public beach, not the one with the pier like he’d thought. Of course, Len kinda parked and sat, turning to face him, searching him with those eyes. “Fucking up? How?”
“Partying, mostly. I….” He shook his head, chewed his lip. This was a bad idea. “I was just not living right.”
“Shane.” That voice went all wonky, wobbling a little. “You weren’t…. No. I know you wouldn’t do that.”
“I wouldn’t cheat on you. Hell, Galen, if I was gonna do that, I wouldn’t love on you like I did.” It was bad enough he’d thought on it, thought serious about Wade.
“Then we’re good.” Those big hands landed on him, unbuckling his seat belt so Galen could pull him across for a kiss. “I knew you wouldn’t do that, but Christ, you’ve been talking scary.”
“It was scary.” He didn’t know how else to explain it.
“Okay. Okay, tell me what happened. Just one night of it.” Len eased him in, held on tight. Okay. Okay, Len had done this shit once, right?
He leaned, stared out the window. “Things just get out of hand so fast, you know? You have a couple beers and somebody hands you something, and suddenly I was flying and with folks I didn’t know, you know?”
“Oh, babe. I’m sorry.” That big body had tensed some, but he could tell Galen wasn’t gonna unload on him or anything.
“It’s my fault. I just got….” Weak? Bored? Stupid? “You know I’m not all that bright. I never have been good at that whole peer pressure thing.”
“Shit, darlin’. You’re not an idiot. Would you quit thinking you are?” Galen tilted his face up and stared right into his eyes. “I left you alone too much. Got too wrapped up in work. We both fucked up.”
“I’m a grown-up. I’m supposed to be able to do this.” He just didn’t.
“Do what?” Shaking his head, Len sighed. “It’s all trial and error. If my momma’s taught me anything, it’s that.”
“Yeah. Well, I’ve tried a lot and erred some.”
“So have I.” Heavy brows drew down. “Do we need to get you tested for anything, babe?”
“Tested?” He blinked, utterly confused and maybe a little hurt. “I said I hadn’t cheated on you, Galen.”
“No. No, I know, but there’s other things that can…. Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Galen kissed him. Hard. “Never mind, honey.”
Wait.
Wait.
Other things?
Shit.
Shane frowned, moving away a little. Okay. Damn it. “We’d best let the puppers run, huh? Before they eat their way out of the truck?”
“Yeah. I…. Yeah. I’m sorry, Shane. That was out of line.” Shit. Galen looked completely flustered and guilty as hell.
“It’s okay.” God, what if he’d…? What if…? Jesus. “Come on, pups. Let’s go.” He opened the door and headed down toward the water, the dogs running for the ocean.
Len caught up with him, pulled him around, stared down at him. “Shane. Please, darlin’. Don’t. I was just… well. I should know better. You’ve never done most of the shit I have.”
“I’ll go see a doctor. Make sure.” He didn’t think he could make Galen sick from taking pills and stuff, but maybe…. Hell, he didn’t know. He wouldn’t risk it, though. Jesus.
“You never used a needle, honey. I know you didn’t. That’s the only thing I would worry about.” Len was shaking his head, frowning. “I should never have asked.”
“Needles? No. No, Len. I don’t… shit, there isn’t anything feels good enough to do that, ’cept get these pierced….” His heart stopped racing quite so hard.
Shit.
“There you go.” Now he got a smile, a little wobbly, but right there. “I’m just stupid.”
“No. No, I didn’t.” Shane stopped, took a deep breath. No. More. Talking. “Just don’t stress on it, ’kay?”
“Okay.” Looping one arm around him, Galen steered him off toward the water, whistling up the dogs.
The sun was just starting to go down, the light trying to fade. It was kinda sad.
Kinda.
Chapter Twenty-One
GALEN WATCHED Shane sleep.
It was the first time since their trip to the beach that there had been no weirdness. No awkwardness.
If he could just learn to keep his goddamned mouth shut, maybe things would go better. Fucking accusing Shane of shooting up. That had never been Shane’s thing, and he knew it. No, all that shit came from his own issues. Galen sighed, glancing at the clock. Maybe he should get up. Go clean the kitchen or something. Stop thinking. He sure wasn’t gonna sleep.
Shane’s eyes popped open, baby blues just staring him down. “Galen?”
“Hey, darlin’.” He let himself smile, for real, loving the way Shane woke up all rumpled and blinky. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“’S okay. You good?” Shane reached for him, just petting away, loving on him.
“Yeah. Yeah, I was just having trouble sleeping.” He put his hand over Shane’s, holding it against his belly. “I was fixing to go clean the kitchen.”
“I can help.” Shane blinked slow, leaning into him, cuddling a little. “You unhappy, Galen?”
“No. I’m glad to be home and tickled as fuck to have you here. I’m just worried I’m fucking it up.” Three in the morning seemed a lot easier than sundown on the beach to say shit like that.
“I’m sorry.” Shane sighed some, cheek on his shoulder.
“Why? What I did back in the bad old days isn’t your problem. That’s mine. You’re not me, darlin’. I just need to remember that.” That and the fact that no matter what Shane might have done, Galen loved him.
“No, I’m not. I was just goofing with the guys. Playing.”
“Yeah.” Sliding on the sheets, Galen slipped back down into bed, snuggling up to Shane’s s
ide. “Sometimes I just get diarrhea of the mouth.”
“Shh.” Shane patted his hand, easing him some. Easing him down.
Snuggling in, Galen nuzzled against Shane’s throat, trying to ignore the big old voice of guilt eating at him. “Sorry, darlin’.”
“Let it go, Galen. We’re okay. Get some sleep.”
“Yeah? Okay.” He wanted to be better than that, but they’d been apart a good bit. Hell, Shane had said himself that he’d had a whole other life. Which kinda pissed Galen off, because he hadn’t. Not really. He’d worked, and he’d worked out, and he’d dreamed of Shane.
Shane’d been partying and making friends and getting ink and shit and not even letting him know.
His fingers automatically found that ink, tracing the twined letters of their names. At least it meant Shane had been thinking of him. But damn, he wished he’d been there.
“I wanted something that I could feel, you know? Something that wouldn’t fade.”
“I’m not sure I do know. But I like it.” Galen just…. He hated it. Not the tat. The fact that Shane had been so unsure.
“Cool.” Shane nuzzled, took a deep breath. “You smell good.”
“Mmm. I probably smell like water rot.” They were still mopping water out of the weirdest places. “You good?”
“Nah, you smell like home.” Shane was blinking, nice and slow.
Home. Yeah. They could work with that. Galen relaxed, his tense muscles easing slow but sure. “Love you, darlin’.”
“You do. I know.” Shane hummed, nodded. “Love.”
Well, at least Shane knew that much.
The rest of the cleanup could wait until tomorrow. At least.
Chapter Twenty-Two
TWO WEEKS they’d worked on the house and the shop. Two weeks and the lights were on, the phones were on, the roads were cleared.
Two weeks and Frank’d started calling.
Writing.
Emailing.
Threatening.
Galen was going to blow a vein, Shane could tell.
