Blue Collar

by Sean Michael

  Barton leaned across the table. "Wicked good."

  Blushing, Kendall nodded, then stole his milkshake back. Barton sat back, smiling, looking happy. Looking damn good.

  "Dude. Dude. It is you."

  Kendall looked up and it was Chris. Fuck. He managed a smile for Chris. "Hey, man. What are you up to?"

  "The girlfriend dragged me shopping. Now I'm finally getting my beer and burger payment."

  "Burgers here rock, man."

  "They do." Chris glanced at Barton. "I know you, man?"

  "I don't think so." Barton held out his hand. "Barton Willis."

  "Ah. Mustang. Right." Chris's gaze shot back to him. "Moving up in the world, man?"

  It was Barton who answered. "Absolutely." Barton smiled, but he was good, not touching Kendall under the table or anything.

  "See you, man." Go away. Go away. How was Kendall supposed to do this? Keep his two lives separate?

  "Yeah, I gotta go get dragged through shoe stores now." Chris rolled his eyes.

  "See you, Monday," Kendall offered with false cheer.

  "See you."

  Smiling at him, Barton nodded toward his parting friend. "See? That wasn't so bad."

  "Nope." He smiled back, but he knew better. Monday there would be questions.

  "You want dessert?" Barton asked.

  "No. The shake was enough for now."

  "Excellent. Let's go find you a suit, yeah?" Barton waved at their waitress.

  "Yeah. An affordable one."

  "Yes, baby, an affordable one."

  "Cool. I've never owed a suit."

  "No? Never?"

  The waitress came over with the bill and the card machine, Barton handing over his credit card.

  "Never. I had my class blues in the service."

  "That makes sense. You didn't have a suit for Sundays either? I guess that surprises me a little. Given what I know about your stepfather."

  "Khakis and button ups." Suits were uppity.

  "Huh. Well, I'm pleased to buy you your first one." Barton headed for the directory. The man shopped like he was on a mission.

  "I am, too. Honest."

  Giving him a warm smile, Barton pointed to the east wing. "Good. We're this way."

  He nodded and window shopped as they walked--DVDs and music and goofy toys and clothes. It was actually fun shopping with Barton and if the man occasionally ducked into a store and grabbed something he'd admired, he guessed that was okay. It felt kind of good, actually. By the time he was choosing suits, he was laughing, playing with Barton even.

  "You want a pink shirt with it, baby?" Barton's eyes twinkled at him.

  He couldn't help rise to the bait, even though he knew Barton was teasing him. "Shut up. Real men don't wear pink."

  "That's bullshit. But we can go with purple."

  "Purple?" Would he look like a dipshit in purple?

  "Yeah." Barton looked through the shirts. It was fascinating, how Barton cared about the colors. "This will look fantastic on you. And these two darker purple ties will contrast just right."

  "If you think so. I trust you." After all, he was a suit novice. No, a suit virgin. God, Barton would get a kick out of that, but Barton was going on about color and shit.

  "I do. The color goes beautifully with that dark charcoal suit. And we'll do a white shirt with a dark gray tie as well, for when color doesn't work."

  "When color doesn't work." Did that make sense?

  "Yeah, for like, business meetings--and don't tell me you don't do them, you never know--or funerals. That kind of thing."

  "Business meetings? Me?" He'd never in his life gone on a business meeting.

  "I said you never know. What if you decide to open your own garage and need a loan--bam, business meeting."

  "Yeah." Like that would happen. He'd have to work his whole life for that, and then he'd be old.

  Barton chuckled. "I have faith in you, baby. I also stand behind you no matter what you decide to do."

  "I'm glad someone does. I'm just a mechanic. Sometimes I think I should have stayed in the service."

  "Well, I'm glad you didn't. I can't imagine not meeting you!"

  Even Kendall had to admit that would have sucked. "No. No, you've changed everything."

  Barton met his eyes. "You've changed my life, too."

  "I don't know how, but I'm glad." He wanted to be as good for Barton as Barton was for him.

  "I didn't think I would ever have someone in my life I wanted to spend forever with," Barton told him, eyes serious.

  Kendall stared, mouth dry, eyes hot in their sockets. "Forever is a long time."

  "Honesty, I don't think it's going to be long enough."

  "Well, we'll start with that and then see what happens."

  Barton laughed, nodding. "That works for me." Barton handed him the suit and one of the shirts. "Try that on."

  "Okay. You want to see it?" Kendall asked.

  "Absolutely."

  "I'll look silly," he warned, but headed into a dressing room to changed. The fabric was cool to the touch, the shirt cuffs and collar surprisingly stiff.

  He checked himself in the mirror before going out and...he didn't look silly. He looked sort of fine.

  When he went out, Barton gave him a wolf whistle. "Damn, baby. You look even better than I imagined you would."

  His cheeks heated, but he felt...he felt good. "Yeah? It's okay?"

  "No, it's not okay, at all. You look magnificent."

  "It feels good. The shirt's a little starchy."

  "Brand-new shirts are. Go on and change, I'll get the cashier to ring us up."

  "Okay. Sure." He changed back and handed the clothes to Barton, trying not to feel guilty for letting Barton buy him all this stuff.

  By the time he followed Barton to the register, the sale had already been put through on Barton's card and he was handed two bags. Two. And they were both full.

  "Barton?"

  "What?"

  Kendall lifted the bags.

  "Oh, I just threw in some underwear and socks and a couple more shirts. The whole store is on sale, so I figured we should take advantage of it."

  "Oh. I...thank you. I'll pay you back."

  "No, it's my treat."

  Kendall squeezed Barton's wrist. "Thanks."

  "My pleasure, baby." Barton's smile was warm and Kendall wanted suddenly, very much, to kiss him.

  "Are you ready to head home or did you want to walk more?" Kendall asked, ready to do anything Barton wanted.

  "If you wanted to walk we could stop at the park near home," Barton suggested. "But I'm sort of malled out. Unless we missed something you wanted?"

  "No. No, let's go home."

  "Good. I'm not sure I can keep from touching you too much longer."

  "Yeah. Yeah, ditto." He wanted Barton, wanted to touch...and more.

  Heat begin simmering in Barton's gaze and Kendall moved faster, long legs swallowing up the distance to the car. He put all the bags in the trunk and then slid in, his hand rubbing at his filling prick.

  "Mmm. You've got the best package." Barton gave him a wide smile and started the engine.

  "I want you." He wanted things he wasn't sure he could imagine.

  "Thank God, because I want you, too. I'll get us home quickly."

  "Be safe." He dared to let one hand rest on Barton's thigh.

  "I will be. I have something wonderful waiting for me at home."

  "And you'll have me."

  "You are the something wonderful, baby."

  Kendall knew that, but it seemed really vain to admit it. "Thanks."

  "No, thank you." They turned onto Barton's street, then into his driveway.

  "Home, home, home." They pulled into the garage, his truck parked right there.

  "Uh-huh." Barton got out, slamming the door and grabbing a couple of bags before hightailing it to the door.

  Kendall got the rest and closed the trunk, then followed. Barton was waiting for him by the door, whic
h was closed as soon as he was in, Barton's mouth on his, taking a kiss. He met the kiss with equal hunger, slamming their bodies together, rubbing hard.

  His bags dropped from his hands and Barton grabbed his ass, kept him close. He wanted...God, he didn't know for sure, but he wanted it all.

  Barton shifted, shoved him up against the wall, hands tearing at his clothes. "Need you."

  "Uh-huh." He stripped off his shirt, moaning deep in his chest.

  Barton got his jeans undone, pushed them off his hips along with his underwear and just like that he was naked, the wall cold against his back. The rasp of Barton's clothes against his body was intensely erotic and Barton seemed more interested in rubbing off against him than getting naked, too.

  Kendall arched, giving Barton something to feel. The fingers of one hand slid against his crease, against his hole.

  "Please." He wasn't sure what he was begging for, but he needed.

  Barton pushed a finger into his hole. He tightened, squeezed, and then Barton spun him, pressed his chest to the wall.

  "Gonna fuck you, baby. Make you scream for me." Two fingers pressed inside him, slamming in, demanding his attention. "Tell me that's what you want."

  "I want. Please. I want everything. I want to feel everything."

  "Good." He heard Barton undoing his pants, then the man's fingers disappeared, came back as three, all slick with lube.

  He didn't ask. He didn't care. He just needed.

  It was a quick stretch, Barton pushing his fingers in a few times, then it was Barton's cock, thick and hot, pushing into him.

  "Yes." He bore down, helped by the grip around Barton's hips.

  In and in, Barton pushed into him, going deep. "Mine."

  Kendall had to agree. "God, yes. More. I need more."

  "I know." Barton started moving, fucking him with hard thrusts. It rattled his spine, the thrusts perfect, deep. "Wanted to do this all day."

  "Uh-huh." He'd been hungry all week, since the day with the plug.

  Barton kept them moving, slamming their bodies together. Barton's fingers dug in, leaving delicious bruises. When Barton let go with one hand to grab his cock, he thought he would scream. That hand squeezed him, tugged him hard.

  "Need you to come on my cock."

  "Yes. Yes, please. Please." He reached down, brought Barton's hand to the tip of his cock, the zing making him shoot.

  "Yes!" Barton shouted and came, shuddering against him.

  He sighed, world spinning about him, about them.

  Barton's cock slipped out of him, his lover groaning and making the condom disappear. "Upstairs. Bed."

  "Uh-huh." Kendall wasn't sure he wouldn't rather just collapse right here.

  Barton zipped himself back up, and grabbed Kendall's hand, dragging him upstairs. He held his own jeans up with his free hand, his well-fucked ass aching.

  "I'm going to enjoy you in the suit you came to me in," Barton murmured.

  "I was wearing jeans," Kendall had to point out.

  "I mean your birthday suit." Barton gave him a wink.

  "I was naked the first time I tugged off here," he admitted.

  Barton worse a shit-eating grin. "Exactly."

  "Did you know?"

  "It was imagining what you were doing in there that had me jacking off out here."

  Kendall's cheeks were going to catch on fire.

  Barton came close, and rubbed their noses together.

  Kendall forced himself to breathe. "I do wicked things with you."

  "Wicked good things."

  He couldn't argue with that.

  "Do you really believe what your asshole stepfather preached?" Barton asked. "What those monsters at that camp told you? That what we have between us is bad?"

  "I can't. Even if it's true, I can't believe it. I'm in love with you."

  "It isn't bad or wrong. Love is good and I love you, too." Barton held his gaze. "It doesn't matter what those other people believe. It matters what you and I think."

  "And if I lose my job?" It could happen.

  "Because you're gay? Then we sue their asses off and you open your own garage with the winnings."

  "You blow my mind, Barton. I mean, really."

  "Your mind, your cock. It's all good." Barton gave him a wink.

  Kendall rolled his eyes. "You're a dork."

  "I am not. I'm a sophisticate." Barton stuck out his tongue.

  Kendall grabbed it, surprised as Barton was that he caught it. The man's laughter sounded around his fingers.

  "Wow. I caught you."

  "Uh-huh." Barton got his tongue back. "Hook, line and sinker, baby."

  "Lucky me." He meant it, too.

  That earned him one of those slow, deep smiles and Barton took his hand, kissed it. "Almost as lucky as I am."

  Kendall licked his lips, then leaned and took a kiss. Humming, Barton kissed him back, hands sliding on his body. He moaned for Barton, started working the man's clothes off.

  "Yes, baby. Please."

  "Uh-huh. You naked now." Him cave man. Him need.

  "Yes, boss." Barton winked, but he also began wriggling out of his jeans.

  Wrapping his hand around Barton's cock, Kendall stroked it, and that distracted Barton, who ended up with his jeans at his ankles.

  Groaning, Barton pushed into his hands. "Love your touch. So much."

  "Doesn't seem like this could be real. That I'm here, with you."

  "It is though. And you deserve it. I deserve it. It's good."

  "It is." No matter what anyone said.

  Barton beamed at him, hips jerking, moving the thick cock along his palm. It was the easiest thing in the world to keep touching, to caress the swollen tip, smooth the liquid around.

  Barton kissed him, tongue sliding between his lips. It was something else--to have this normal, simple life. And something he'd never thought he'd have. Now he would fight for it.

  Chapter 9

  Barton grilled a couple of steaks, most of his attention on Kendall as his lover sat and nursed a beer. Ken had been out of sorts since he got home, opting to take a solo shower and now glowering at the deck like it has personally insulted him.

  "You wanna talk about it?" Barton asked as he took the steak off the grill to let it rest.

  "Nope."

  He hated those tight lines around his lover's face.

  Putting the steaks on the table next to the salad, Barton stood behind Ken and started to work the tight shoulders. "What happened at work, baby?"

  "Just a long day. A bullshit long day."

  "So tell me about it. Trust me--it'll help."

  "The guys are just giving me shit. Normal hazing the new guy stuff."

  He frowned. "You're not new. How long does this hazing the new guy last?"

  "Until I confess that I'm a fag or I fuck a girl in their presence."

  Barton's hands stilled. "What?"

  "Nothing. The steaks smell good."

  "Not nothing. That's crazy. Do they make everyone fuck a girl in front of them?" Surely that was hyperbole.

  "Just drop it. I'm just tired."

  "It's bothering you, baby," he pointed out.

  "Yeah."

  "What can I do to help?"

  "Nothing. There's only two more days 'til Friday."

  Barton kept working Ken's shoulders, biting his tongue. He didn't see what he could do to help that wouldn't actually make things worse, so he'd let Ken handle it. For now.

  Slowly, Ken started to relax, to give into his hands.

  "Steak's ready to eat," he said after a few more minutes of massaging. "You want another beer with it?"

  "Yeah. Yeah, one more."

  "Okay. Why don't you dish up while I get it?" He dropped a kiss on Ken's head and went into the kitchen, grabbing them a couple cold ones.

  He hated that Kendall was getting shit for loving him. It wasn't right.

  Going back out to the deck, he handed Ken one of the beers.

  At least Ken was able to fi
nd a smile for him. "Thank you. Dinner smells amazing."

  "It is amazing. I grill a great steak." He sat next to Ken at the table and they dug in.

  They ate and drank and things slowly eased up, became more normal. Barton knew he needed to blow Ken's mind tonight, leave Ken easy in his skin and happy.

  Blow his mind. Barton liked the thought. Maybe he could get Kendall to call in tomorrow... It was time to introduce a new toy to his baby. Or maybe another sound...

  "You're thinking hard."

  "I'm making plans." Barton let his voice drop down as he said it.

  "Yeah? I'm going to help clean up and then I'm pondering a bath."

  "We could do a bath. I've got some things we could use to make it fun."

  Kendall gave him a long look, then his lover nodded. "I could totally use some fun."

  "I know." Leaning forward, he took a kiss. "You totally could."

  Kendall kissed him back, the flavor hoppy, just a bit bitter.

  "The washing up could wait." He could kiss his boy dumbstruck.

  "It'll just be harder tomorrow."

  "You throwing logic at me?" It was totally something Ken would do to him.

  "It's a thing."

  "You're a thing. Come on. Upstairs."

  Ken grabbed the plates, the silverware.

  Barton rolled his eyes. "I mean it, baby, leave them."

  "I'll just put them inside, in the sink."

  He grabbed up the rest of them and followed Ken inside. "Stubborn man."

  "Uh-huh."

  "You are. One of the most stubborn men I know." It was one of the things that he attracted him to Ken actually.

  "Am not." Was that a pout?

  "You are." He moved up behind Ken and slid his arms around his lover. It was time to play, to distract and stretch his lover. He rolled their hips together. "Come upstairs with me."

  "Upstairs. Okay." Kendall moved his hips side to side.

  "Uh-huh." Barton rubbed back, his hands sliding down to cup Ken through his jeans.

  He slowly moved his lover, step by step. Once they hit the stairs, he grabbed Ken's hand and tugged him up them. Ken went with him, followed him, so quiet, so trapped in his head. It made Barton growl and move faster, pulling Ken along to the bed.

  "What are you doing?"

  "If you don't know by now what we do in bed..." He winked, trying to tease a smile out of his lover.

  "I was going to take a bath."