Horizons (Horizons Series Book 1)

by Mickie B. Ashling

“You want to go out today?” he asked, caressing my chest. We lounged on his deck with towels wrapped around our waists and not much else. The weather was cooperating fully with a burst of unusual warmth for November. The temperatures were in the high seventies, adding to the illusion that we were on holiday. It was around eleven in the morning, and I was soaking up the sun, replete from the satisfying breakfast he’d cooked and even more from the amazing sex last night.

  “Can’t we just stay here and fuck all day?”

  “That’s what we did yesterday and last night,” Jody said, his grin and accompanying dimple a magnet that drew me in easily.

  “I know. I’m just not in the mood to be looking over my shoulder every second, worrying about who might be watching.”

  “You want to go to Marin?” he asked, ever mindful of my fears. “How about a day at the beach? We could pack a lunch and drive out to Stinson. Wear a giant hat and white sunscreen; no one will know who you are.”

  “It’s still the Bay Area. I’m bound to run into someone. How about if we stay right here and wear each other out?”

  Jody grinned and bent down to kiss me. “It’s going to take more than twenty-four hours to wear me out.”

  “I’m beginning to realize that,” I groaned as his hand slipped under the towel and wrapped itself around my cock, which was coming to life again. “Who knew that a serious doctor could be such a sex fiend?” My voice turned husky with desire, my body responding to his touch like a fine-tuned automobile, quick to accelerate, going from silent to purring in a matter of seconds.

  “You’re looking at a man in his prime,” Jody said, nuzzling my neck with bites that tickled and teased.

  “What am I?”

  “A newbie.”

  “What?”

  Jody’s chuckle was reassuring. I was still learning, and I worried I’d say or do something to offend him or homosexuals in general. “You’re such an innocent, Clark. I’m having way too much fun teaching you new and improved ways to have sex.”

  “I know! What is it with you and blow jobs? Is there a school I need to go to? Your blow jobs are, like, out of this world!”

  “Gay men give better blow jobs for one simple reason. We love cock much more than women do,” Jody pronounced. “We not only love cock, we worship it. Think about it, babe. Our cocks are the first toy we reached for as infants. They’re the last thing we touch before we go to sleep; they comfort and give us pleasure. Many men fall asleep holding their cocks. How many women go to sleep holding their best friends on a nightly basis?”

  I ogled him as he expounded on his theory. He had his doctor’s face on, pretending to be serious, but his eyes sparkled with mirth.

  “I would tend to agree on that last point.”

  He nodded, smiling that sexy, heart-stopping smile of his.

  “Prove it,” I urged, grabbing and holding him tightly.

  “Prove what?”

  “Prove how much you love my cock,” I commanded in jest, moving to accommodate him. He pulled my towel aside and bent forward, rubbing his cheeks against my shaft. I groaned like I was in pain.

  “Clark,” he lifted his head and looked at me with eyes that were glazed over with passion. “Let me shave your balls.”

  My heart did a little hiccup when I heard the request. “Now?”

  “Yes. Can you get away with it?”

  “I’m on hiatus, remember? No one’s going to see my balls except you.”

  “God… please, let me.”

  “Okay.”

  We stood, our towels fell to the redwood, and we moved into the house, his hand gripping mine tightly. I was excited and apprehensive at the same time. The thought of being exposed in such an intimate way was a little daunting, but so were some of the other things Jody had done to me in the past two weeks. A whole new world was opening up in front of my eyes; a world filled with erotic layers and comfortable silences.

  We went straight to the bathroom, and he made me sit on the counter on top of a towel so I wouldn’t slip. He put a brand-new blade in the razor and pulled down the can of shaving cream. Squirting a small portion in his hand, he massaged the cream all around my balls and down my ass-crack. My cock was leaking with excitement, pointing against my stomach. I groaned as he spread the cream over me, hissed when I felt the first scrape of the blade, whimpered when his fingers spread me apart and said, “Bend your knees, baby. Open wide for me.”

  “Jo-Jo.” My cheeks heated in embarrassment. I stole a glance in the mirror and caught my blush.

  “You’re beautiful, Clark, every millimeter of you.” He said it almost reverently, like he was worshiping at a fucking altar.

  “I’m going to shoot all over you if you don’t stop looking at me like that.”

  “Wait ’til I’m done, babe. I can’t wait to suck you off, now that you’re nice and smooth.”

  He finished and wiped me with a warm washcloth, staying a little longer around my asshole than I thought was necessary.

  “What are you doing?” My eyes were glued to his.

  “I want you to feel this,” he whispered huskily, as he put his finger in my mouth and said, “Suck.”

  I did, responding like a robot.

  “I’m going to fuck you in the ass.”

  “No!”

  “Just my fingers, big guy. Relax.”

  “Not yet.” I shook my head even though I could feel my resolve weakening as his fingers gently played in the area around my hole.

  He knelt and licked around my newly shaved balls. His saliva coated me, his morning beard rough and scratchy, as he rubbed his face on my thighs. I sat there wide open, a slut to his desire.

  “Jo, suck me off.” I begged, and didn’t care that I groveled. I was going a little crazy; his fingers played dangerous games with me, moving in and out of my asshole, stretching it and sending sensations that rocketed up and down my spine, turning my brain into a puddle.

  I cried out when he started to suck, swallowing me so deep I could feel his throat as the tip of my cock hit it, his humming making everything vibrate. Meanwhile, his busy fingers were inside me, pushing at the tight rings, grazing my prostate, which caused me to buck and whimper.

  I screamed when he prodded the right spot, and I exploded into his mouth, shooting down his throat as he swallowed smoothly. It was hot as hell watching him.

  I hopped off the counter and grabbed his hand, moving toward the bed, determined to reciprocate. I wanted to hear him whimper and feel him pull my hair. That was a bigger turn-on than anything else.

  He sighed when I took him in my mouth; the movement of his hips encouraged me to swallow as deeply as possible. My cock hardened again, thanks to the noises coming out of his throat, and I laved him with my tongue, nipping at the soft skin of his balls, rolling them around in my mouth. His hands were gripping my shoulders, his needy noises goading me on.

  “Please—”

  He begged, a huge turn-on, considering I was so new at this game, and I settled in between his legs as he spread wide. “Tell me what you want, Jo.”

  “I want you inside of me.”

  I reached for the pile of condoms that we’d placed on the nightstand, and rolled one on in record time. The lube followed next, as I slathered a generous amount on both of us. I breached him forcefully, holding my position for a second as our bodies adjusted to each other. I was enveloped in the sweetest warmth, wrapped in a cocoon of arms, legs, and dark places that were drawing the pleasure out in delicious waves. I started moving again, picking up speed as he ordered me to go faster. Sweat dropped onto his face in round plops as we got closer to touchdown. He screamed my name when he blew warm spunk all over my neck and chest, sending me soaring.

  JODY couldn’t move. His body had been sucked dry by the mountain of a man that lay boneless on top of him. By the time the hammering in their hearts had stopped and his throbbing ass had calmed, Clark was fast asleep, snoring gently against his neck.

  Their relationship intensified with eac
h passing hour, and even though the words never crossed their lips, the emotions were clearly apparent in everything they did. Jody knew that Clark had crossed some internal line the night they’d come back from Folsom. They hadn’t spoken of it, but the shift in Clark’s feelings was easily apparent. He was more relaxed and affectionate.

  When they were alone, like they’d been these past few days, he was the perfect partner, easygoing and even easier to please. He ate anything Jody put in front of him, only grumbling when Jody insisted that he have lima beans. Clark hated them and refused to budge, pouting like a kid. It made Jody laugh, and he threw the food in the garbage, and ordered pizza instead. Clark’s private persona was much more than a football star. He could charm the pants off of Jody with a few quick words, and it was this side of him that gave Jody hope that there might be a future together.

  He knew that Clark was more than an athlete. His lover had a fine, inquisitive mind, noticed shortly after their first tutoring session, but Clark was a product of his upbringing. The more he was told how scattered and dumb he was, the more he became convinced of it. He had trouble accepting Jody’s compliments when studying. He was a little thunderstruck when Jody would carry on a serious conversation and actually listen to his replies. Clark told him that he couldn’t remember the last time anyone had listened to a thing he had to say on any subject other than football.

  The ADD continued to plague him, yet he refused to take any of Jody’s advice. He was adamant about not trying any of the pills, and so his struggle to remember and stay on task continued.

  “Have you seen my keys?”

  It was a daily question, and each time something was lost or misplaced, the situation would often escalate into an all-out crisis. Clark would vibrate with anger, calling himself names and vowing to do better next time.

  This duality kept Jody on his toes, never knowing whom he’d be facing next. It was exciting and terrifying at the same time. Jody’s life had been all about routine, order, and discipline. Being with Clark was like riding on the tails of a bucking bronco. Beautiful and calm one minute, angry and impulsive the next.

  ON SUNDAY afternoon we’d decided to go to Andronico’s for a food run. We’d depleted everything in the house, and the only thing left in the refrigerator was water and condiments.

  I stood in front of the cereal boxes, trying to decide what to buy. I hated choices—too many of them always confused me—so I ended up reaching for my usual box of Frosted Flakes.

  “That stuff is terrible,” Jody said as he stood beside me.

  “It tastes really good.”

  “It’s full of sugar and preservatives. It doesn’t have one redeeming factor.”

  “I like it,” I whined.

  Jody looked at me and laughed. “You’re like a four-year-old,” he said, grabbing my neck and pulling me up to him, his arms moving around me tightly.

  I joined in the laughter, but it died in my throat when I looked up and saw Nikki staring at us from the end of the aisle. I practically jumped away from Jody, acting like I’d just seen a ghost. Her facial expression was classic, the look in her eyes changing from shock to fear to denial. I knew that I was fucked, but I made an attempt to smooth over the situation, walking up to her as if nothing had happened.

  “Hey, Nik. When did you get back into town?”

  “Yesterday,” she answered. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you all night.”

  “Oh, I turned my phone off.”

  “I went by your apartment several times, but you were never there and neither was your car.” She hurled the words out like an accusation. “Have you been with him all this time?” She said the word him like it was the dirtiest thing in the world. It made me sick to hear her talk like that.

  “Yeah, I’ve been staying at Jody’s. We’ve been studying.”

  “Really? And exactly what has the good doctor been teaching you?”

  Chapter 15

  WALKING into the lobby of my apartment building, I ran into my mother and my brother Jason; it shocked me. It was Wednesday, around two o’clock in the afternoon, and I had just come from the gym. I’d been going regularly, babying the broken arm but staying on track with my cardio. I ran five miles every other day, switching between the treadmill and the elliptical machine. I couldn’t afford to get fat and lazy over the winter or there’d be hell to pay in the spring.

  “What are you guys doing here?” My mind raced with terrible thoughts. “Is Dad okay?”

  My mother looked a little agitated, and Jason seemed somewhat confused. They followed me up the stairs and were silent as I fumbled with the locks.

  “You want anything to drink?” I asked as soon as I shut the door.

  “I’d like some water, Clark.”

  “Okay. Jason?”

  “I’ll take a soda.”

  I tossed him a can of Pepsi, which he caught easily, and then I brought a bottle of water over to where my mother sat.

  “Jason, would you mind going for a little walk? I’d like to speak with Clark in private.”

  “Sure.” He looked at me from across the room and shrugged. Apparently, he had no idea why they’d made this trip.

  I went to sit beside my mother on the sofa.

  “I’m here because I got a phone call from Nikki, and I was a little concerned.”

  “What did she want?”

  “She said that Dr. Williams is gay.”

  “Says who?”

  “Says Google, apparently.”

  “Huh?”

  “Nikki was rather upset when she called. She asked to speak to your father, but he wasn’t home, so I convinced her to tell me what was going on.” My mother kept fiddling with the straps of her purse, folding and unfolding the leather, fidgeting as she talked. Her face had turned pink, the way it always did when she was embarrassed.

  “Clark, she says that you might be gay too.”

  “Why? Because Jody’s my friend?”

  “So you’re not denying it? He’s gay?”

  “Mom, it’s really none of your business what he is. All you need to concern yourself with is the fact that he’s helping me with this English class and it’s working. I’ll know in ten days if I’ve passed or not. Just before Christmas break.”

  “But if he’s gay, you shouldn’t associate with him. People will think you’re gay too, and that will get back to the scouts, not to mention your father, and all hell will break loose, Clark.”

  “It shouldn’t matter at all. This is bullshit!”

  “Nikki said I should ask you about Rick Roman. Who is he?”

  “Fuck if I know.”

  “Why does she think you’d know him?”

  “Mom, let me tell you a little bit about Nikki, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  I told her the basics, leaving out the part that we were fuckbuddies for a long time. She didn’t need to hear that, although hearing that I had been sleeping with Nikki would have eased her mind about the other question she had.

  “So you don’t love her?”

  “Not that way.”

  “Why have you pretended otherwise?”

  “No one has bothered to ask.”

  “But you were always with her?”

  “Mom, this conversation needs to end.”

  “Why does she think you’re gay?”

  “Because I don’t want her, so she’s got to blame someone or something.”

  “But calling you gay is a little far-fetched, isn’t it?” My mom finally smiled when she said that.

  I shrugged and kept silent, even though I wanted to lash out. I wasn’t prepared to deal with the consequences of a meltdown, so I bit my tongue and counted to ten. “Are you going to tell Dad?”

  “Absolutely not!”

  “Why?”

  “I think he’d go a little crazy if he found out you were being tutored by a homosexual.”

  “Even if said homo is really helping me?”

  “Honey, it wouldn’t matter.”


  “I guess not.” I stood up abruptly and paced, the indecision pulling me every which way. I was so tempted to say something, but I knew she’d never be able to handle it. I turned and looked at her sitting on the sofa, the picture of the concerned mother.

  “What about Nikki though? Is she going to call Dad and tell him?”

  “I’ve convinced her to hold off. I told her I’d come and talk to you.”

  “And what will you tell her?”

  “That you’re not gay, for one thing.” She laughed, the idea that I’d be gay so ridiculous she didn’t even give it another thought. “If you’re finished with this class in ten days, then there’s really no need to associate with the doctor, is there?”

  “Mom, he’s not just a tutor. He’s a friend.”

  “You can’t have a gay friend!”

  “Why the fuck not?” The idea of anyone telling me who I should or shouldn’t have as a friend pissed me off.

  “You’re not going to throw everything away for some guy you’ve just met. He’ll understand when you tell him the reasons.”

  “Mom, do you know what you sound like? You’re as bad as Dad.”

  “Clark, I’ve nothing against Jody. He seems like a very nice man. However, you are on the brink of an NFL career. You can’t afford to have anything suspicious clouding your profile. Football players are a dime a dozen. They’d pass on you in a minute if they thought for one second that you were gay.”

  “Mom, this is 2003, for heaven’s sake. People are much more tolerant.”

  “Call me old-fashioned,” she rebuked, “but I know there would be severe repercussions to your career if they even suspected you were gay, which is ridiculous, because you’re not!”

  I looked at her for the longest time, trying to imagine what she’d do if I were to tell her that I had Jody’s cock in my mouth five hours ago. She’d probably have a fucking heart attack.

  “So, what exactly do you expect me to do? I’m not going to propose to Nikki to set her mind at ease. That’s never going to happen.”

  “Well, at least go and talk to her. That way she won’t think that Jody is infecting you, and maybe she’ll drop this entire line of questioning.”