“Give it to me, baby.” Josh’s strangled voice sounded like he was begging for it. But aren’t I? Josh thought as he stroked the glistening and powerful muscle with both hands, paying special attention to the sensitive underside of the cockhead.
His body going rigid, Darius’s cries exploded around them as Josh tasted the salty tang of his lover’s juice hit the back of his tongue. Josh felt Darius’s firm fingers press into his scalp and pull his hair as Josh took what Darius gave. It was only when Darius began to relax that Josh eased back on the pressure, milking out the last of his juices with lips, tongue, and ever-eager hands.
Through a long, drawn out sigh, Darius said, “Without a doubt, you are the best cocksucker I’ve had the pleasure to experience.” He laughed softly. “Incredible.”
“I’m not like this with every guy. It’s the way you fit, the way you taste. It’s hard to explain it, but bottom line is, you make the dirty pig in me go insane. You’re the drug I can’t get enough of.”
“It’s exciting to hear that I’m your addiction.” His sexy lips curled into a smile. “I’ve never been compared to crack before.”
Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, Josh answered, “And you probably never will be again.”
Chapter Eight
Josh opened his eyes, blinking a few times. Darius. Then it all came back to him. They had made love, starting on the couch and ending here in his bed. When he invited Darius to spend the night, he didn’t think he would take him up on the offer.
Moving his fingertips across Darius’s jaw, covered in dark stubble, Josh felt the beginning of an erection.
“That’s a quick recovery,” Darius said, but his eyes remained closed. “Give me a minute to wake up and we can do more of what we did last night.” He opened his eyes, Josh noticing Darius’s dense, dark lashes.
Josh tucked in closer, enveloping his lover into his arms. He pressed his forehead against Darius. “Good morning.”
“Yes, it is.”
They kissed and cuddled, smiled and giggled.
And through it all, Josh realized he was falling in love.
Which could be a problem.
Estelle.
“I need to tell you something.” Josh turned to face Darius. “Something awkward.”
“It’s called morning breath. It’ll go away after I brush.”
“Your mom paid me a visit yesterday at the bakery.”
Darius’s face visibly hardened, his jaw pulsed. “Yeah, this is going to be awkward.” He rolled away from Josh and stared up at the ceiling. “Why are you telling me this now and not yesterday?”
“We were having such a great time, and I didn’t want anything to ruin it.”
“Is she going to ruin it now?”
“Depends on your reaction.” Josh rose to his elbow, resting his head in his hand. “I’m only telling you this, so she doesn’t tell you when you get home. I don’t want anything to be uncomfortable between us.”
Darius exhaled. “I think it’s too late for that.”
“Don’t worry. It wasn’t a big thing.”
“Ha!” Darius spat out with force. “This is my mother we’re talking about. Everything is a big thing with her.”
“She just cares for her son,” Josh said. “You can’t fault her for that.”
“Tell me what she said.”
“In a shortened version, she was warning me off you.”
“Guess you didn’t listen.”
Josh laid his hand on Darius’s chest. “I make my own decisions.”
“Was she rude?”
“I prefer to say direct.”
“Allow me to apologize for my mother.”
“No harm. No foul,” Josh said.
“Please tell me that she didn’t make a spectacle of herself and interrupt business. She’s been known to do that from time to time.”
“Actually, she was a customer.” Josh toyed with a small patch of curling hair in the middle of Darius’s sculpted chest. “I think she likes the place.”
“Maybe I should stop there first before going home, pick up a few things. Might place her in a good mood before I put her in a bad one.”
“Celeste’s goodies do tend to make people happy. I know it works for me. I gained ten pounds one summer because of her marble pound cake. It was a bad summer, but Celeste made it better.”
“I bet you looked hot carrying a little extra weight.” Darius rolled over and reached around with one hand to grab Josh’s ass. He squeezed a handful. “I’d like my baby with some extra cushion.” Darius wiggled his eyebrows as he continued to squeeze.
Josh loved the way he was being touched, but hated the suggestion. “It took me the entire fall and winter to shed those pounds, and I never intend on gaining them again.”
Darius began to pepper soft kisses along Josh’s cheek. “Not even for me?”
“Not even negotiable.”
Darius trailed kisses down his throat to the top of his chest. “Everything is negotiable.”
“I think I discovered what career you’d be good at.”
“Gigolo?” Darius teased.
“Agent, or maybe a lawyer.”
“Not much of a difference in my book. All of them have questionable morals.”
“You might change that opinion when you’re in need of a lawyer.”
Before Darius could go any further, Josh reached for Darius’s chin. He tilted it upward to gaze in his eyes. “You’re not angry that I mentioned the incident in the bakery, are you?”
“Do I look angry to you?”
“No.”
Darius paused and averted his eyes for a brief moment before returning to look at Josh. “I’m sure she won’t be in to bother you or Celeste anymore. I’ll have a word with her when I get home.”
“I’d feel better if you’d forget it altogether,” Josh said, feeling foolish. “I don’t know why I brought it up. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m glad you did. She’s been drinking too much lately, and she’s being so difficult.” Darius moved off Josh and sat up. He ran his hand over his scalp and blew out. “I don’t know how to help her. Stupidly, I thought moving here would’ve been enough, give us a new start, but I think I read her and the situation all wrong. It’s so frustrating dealing with an alcoholic. You don’t know who you’re going to get from one minute to the next.”
“Thankfully my parents aren’t big drinkers. They have another issue.”
Darius looked confused. “Sexaholics?”
Josh cringed and laughed. “Dude, that is so gross. That visual is going to be seared in my brain for the rest of my life.” He smacked Darius’s arm. “Thanks for that.”
“I was going to say crack but thought sex was a less offensive guess.”
“Sadly, it does make a better visual but only just,” Josh said. “Religious. My parents are religious.”
“My mother is too. She uses it against me any way she can. Says I’ll be going to hell if I don’t change my ways.”
“My parents think that but don’t actually say it. Might be better if they would so that way I can be angry with them, yell at them … but they don’t. We tiptoe around me being gay instead. I can visualize my mother’s pursed, disapproving lips now and my dad’s set jaw. They’re so damn white I could scream.”
“Look at us, two hot-blooded men, naked in bed, but instead of talking sexy, we’re talking about our fucked-up parents. Who’s more messed up, them or us?”
“I’m going to have to say, them.” Josh sat up and intertwined his legs with Darius’s. He breathed him in, and a sense of well-being overtook Josh. He felt secure and content locked away in his room. If only he could freeze time and stay like this forever. Time! He turned and reached for his cell phone on a bedside table.
“Crap, I need to be at the bakery in an hour.”
Darius took the phone, dropping it onto the bed. “I have a funny feeling that you’re going to be late.”
“Really
?” Josh pressed in closer, so close that he could feel Darius’s warm, moist breath on his cheek. “Why is that?”
“Because,” Darius inclined his head, “I’m not finished with you yet.”
* * * *
“You’re late.” Celeste tapped her watch. “I was just going to text you.”
Josh rushed in, Darius behind him. “I know. I’m sorry, but I was—”
A sly smile stretched across Celeste’s crimson-painted lips. “Preoccupied?”
“You could say that.”
“Hi, Darius,” Celeste greeted as Josh rushed behind the counter and scurried into an apron. “Hi, Sweetheart. Did you have a nice date?” She kissed Josh on his cheek, then whispered, “Did the date only just end?”
Josh hated being a blusher, but his skin was too fair to hide any hint of embarrassment. “You could say that,” he admitted. “I really am sorry I’m late. One thing led to another and…”
“Yes. I remember those days.”
Josh groaned.
“Don’t be such a prude, dear. You’re not very convincing.” Celeste twirled around to face Darius. “Darius, coffee?”
“No thanks,” he responded. “I’m taking Josh’s car for the day and will pick him up after work.”
“Our Josh is such a hospitable boy.”
Josh reached into his pocket and tossed Darius the keys, Darius catching them. “Three o’clock, babe,” he reminded. Josh blew him a kiss as Celeste ahhed her approval.
Darius nodded and shouted bye before leaving. Josh watched through the bakery’s window that faced the street, lost in Darius’s physique and memories of the previous night.
“Earth to Josh,” Celeste sang. “The cappuccino maker needs to be cleaned and the cinnamon muffins need to be removed from the oven.”
“Okay, slave driver,” he teased as he walked to the coffee machine to service it. Before he could get started, the door chimed an arrival. He opened his mouth to greet the customer, but the words stuck in his throat when he realized it was Estelle.
“Where’s my son?” It was obvious that she had been drinking and she was still feeling its full effects. Her right arm flapped up and fell back to her side. She stumbled forward. “I know he’s here,” she slurred, “because he didn’t come home last night.”
Anxiety gripped Josh. “H–h–he just left,” he stammered. “He’s driving my truck.”
Estelle jerked her head. “Why? He has his own car.”
“It’s not working properly.”
“What’s not working properly is your hearing. Wasn’t I here only yesterday asking you to forget about Darius?” Her voice was ice cold. “He has other things he needs to focus on, and a relationship with you is not one of them. You got that.”
At the moment, Josh was thankful for the counter separating them. He didn’t trust Estelle’s wild-eyed look, and the wiry woman appeared as if she could pack quite a punch if provoked. Josh raised his hands in surrender, exposing his palms. “Please calm down and don’t be angry.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” She shoved her fingers through her unkempt hair, causing the unruly strands to stick out in every direction. “I’m the one who’s going to do the telling. Stay away from Darius.”
Anxiety turned to anger. “I don’t think I can do that.” Josh’s words were measured. “I like him very much, and I believe Darius feels the same way I do.”
“You know who you remind me of? Darius’s father.” Estelle ran her tongue over her bottom lip and she staggered to the side. “Same colored skin and same sweet disposition. Frankly, I find it sickening, and with time, I’m sure Darius will too.”
“Allow me to call him to come and pick you up?” Josh fished in his back pocket for his cell phone, and Celeste stepped from the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks, sizing up the situation quickly.
“Nice to see you again, Estelle,” she said calmly. “Can I get you more of what you bought yesterday? Everything is fresh out of the oven. Have you eaten today?” She turned to Josh. “Josh, could you please make Estelle a strong, black coffee. It’s on the house.”
“I don’t need your charity, Miss Holier Than Thou.” Estelle balled her fists to her side, her eyes narrowed. “This is between me and your nephew, and it’s none of your business, so I suggest you go back into the kitchen until Josh and I come to an agreement and I see fit to leave.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Estelle.” Celeste’s voice remained calm, but her words were to the point. “Everything that happens in this bakery is my business, so I suggest you either accept my offer of coffee and take a seat in the café until you regain some composure or allow Darius to come pick you up.”
Estelle swayed where she stood. She blinked slowly as if she were having difficulty processing Celeste’s words. Before Josh knew what was happening, Estelle flew forward like an alley cat after a tin of freshly opened sardines.
“Don’t disrespect me! I may not own a business, but I was somebody once.” Her deep brown eyes brimmed with tears. “I wasn’t always a crazy drunk woman sitting in her house watching one shit program after another. Back in school, I was happy, but then that man stole it away.” Tears began to spill down her cheeks. With the backs of her hand, she wiped them away. “Please don’t speak to me like I’ve escaped from the funny farm.”
Josh remained speechless, his feet paralyzed to the floor.
Thankfully, Celeste had a plan. “I didn’t intend to disrespect you. On the contrary, please let’s sit in the café and we can talk about everything. Can we do that? Please?”
Estelle closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, her head tilted upward. “I’m so tired, damn tired.” Her voice cracked, and she licked her lips again. “A coffee might be nice.”
“Josh,” Celeste said, “could you please?”
Josh scurried to the coffeemaker to make the fastest cup of coffee he’d ever made. That’s when he heard the crash. Spinning and dropping the mug clenched in his hands, he saw Estelle crumpled to the floor in a heap of sprawled limbs. Before he could alert Celeste, she was already on the phone calling 911.
* * * *
“Mom,” Darius called out upon entering the house. It wasn’t uncommon for her to sleep in, and since he didn’t have anywhere he had to be this morning, an hour or two of sleep sounded like a good idea. Walking to his bedroom, he heard King whining from behind Estelle’s closed bedroom door. “Mom,” he tried again, but the only sound he heard was King’s cry growing louder. Opening the door, he was greeted by a panting dog who jumped on his legs. Darius recognized King’s high-pitched bark that signaled trouble. He reached down and scrubbed behind the dog’s left ear. “What’s the matter, buddy? You need to go out? I hope Grandma was taking good care of you.” Darius sincerely doubted it. He gazed around the room and saw a mess. Two empty beer bottles sat on the nightstand by the unmade bed, and a bottle of something Darius didn’t recognize was discarded on the floor, a golden liquid dripping steadily from the open mouth onto the carpet. Deciding to search the entire house, he walked from room to room but didn’t find his mother. A sense of dread slowly began to build in his gut, spreading to his chest and brain. Retrieving King’s leash, Darius decided to search the neighborhood for Estelle, in case she had wandered outside during the night, drunk and confused. He fought back tears, fearing the worst. As King tugged in every direction, sniffing this way and that, Darius’s cell phone pinged, signaling a text. Taking it out of his back jeans pocket, he squinted against the brightness of the Florida sun.
“On the way 2 hospital with ur mom. In ambulance. SRQ memorial. Meet there.”
Hurrying King along, Darius ran to Josh’s car, praying that his mother would be okay.
* * * *
Josh saw Darius jogging down the hall and he waved him over. “The doctors took her for a scan. She hit her head.”
Darius took in a sharp intake of breath and tears welled in his eyes. “What happened? Where did it happen?”
“She came to
the bakery,” Josh began to explain as doctors and nurses rushed past, shouting commands in staccato voices. “At first I thought she was angry, but then I quickly figured out that she was pretty drunk. She wanted to know where you were and what happened between us.”
Darius rubbed his hands over his face and groaned. “Why does she have to drink?”
Josh waited for Darius to process his thoughts and emotions, choosing to remain silent.
Darius raised his chin, the sad look in his eyes breaking Josh’s heart. “She wasn’t always like this, you know. She used to smile and joke without the aid of alcohol. I’ve been so lost since moving here. I thought maybe I could make it better for her somehow.”
“Her alcoholism is not your fault … and as for lost, you have me.” Josh placed his hand on Darius’s arm and squeezed. “And I’m sure you’ve made her life better. You must.”
“I’m not convinced,” Darius admitted. “She always seems so aggravated and upset.”
“She’s sick.”
“I know, but me being gay doesn’t help the situation.”
“What are you going to do, date women now because your mother doesn’t approve of who you are? You’ll be the one drinking if you do that.”
Darius shook his head and a faint hint of a smile played across his lips. “I couldn’t do that.” Darius placed his hand over Josh’s. “Thanks for being here and taking care of my mom. I’m so sorry to get you mixed up in all this mess.”
“No need to thank me. It’s what you do when someone is in trouble,” Josh said. “And we all have family drama. I bet everyone in this ER has some.”
The Boys of Banana Court: Box Set Page 15
