Baked

by Sean Michael

  Bean leaned hard against him, panting softly. "Oh, God, Clay. You fucking do it for me."

  He petted Bean, grinning. "Good to know."

  Laughing softly, Bean just pressed close and then groaned as the front door opened and closed.

  "Get your pants on, babe. I still need to find my wallet." He winked and called out. "Grab yourselves a beer, guys. I'm hunting my wallet."

  Bean started laughing. "It's not in my pants."

  "Nope. But it's got to be somewhere. Get yourself cleaned up, babe."

  "Yes, sir." Bean gave him a wink and stuck out his tongue.

  He wiped off his hands, grabbed a T-shirt, and swatted Bean's ass before heading out and running smack dab into... "Dev?"

  His brother shook his head. "Dare. Your shit is by the front door."

  "Excellent. Thanks, brother."

  "You can't tell them apart?" Bake asked, coming up behind Dare, looking like a bigger, more muscled Bean.

  "God, no. No one can. I don't think they can."

  Bake looked smug. "I can."

  "Yeah? Good for you, buddy!" He clapped Bake on the shoulder, headed for the front door.

  "So where's my twin?" Bake followed him.

  "Just getting out of the shower." He winked back. "I promise he's in good hands." Really good hands.

  "I don't want to know what your hands are doing to my twin." Bake smiled as Dev came out of the kitchen with three beers.

  "That's fair." He winked at Devin, smiled. "You look great, baby brother."

  "Thanks, Clay! Dare found your wallet." Dev kissed his cheek.

  "Hey, guys. Bake." Bean came into the living room, looking easy in his skin and sexy as hell in tight jeans and a T-shirt. The mark Clay'd just made was bold as you please on the long neck.

  Bake grunted. "You fall and hurt yourself?"

  Bean blinked. "Huh?"

  Dare and Dev started giggling, little shits.

  "What kind of pizza you like, Bake?"

  "Meat -- pepperoni, ham, bacon, hamburger."

  Bean grinned. "Man loves his meat."

  "Must be genetic." He swatted Bean's ass playfully. "I'll go order."

  Bean laughed and wriggled in his direction, while Bake made gagging noises.

  Dev snorted. "Clay got la-ai-aid."

  He flipped Dev off.

  Bake chuckled, and Bean leaned in and kissed his twin's cheek. "You're looking good, Bake."

  Clay grinned, nodded, then hit three on speed dial and made his regular order, times four. Bean came and lounged near him, looking lazy and happy and sexy as all fuck.

  He draped his arm around Bean, grinned. "So, how're you guys doing?"

  Bake put an arm around Dev and the other around Dare. "We're great."

  "Car work out okay?" He'd had a mechanic check it over, but he never knew with the boys.

  Dare nodded and Dev bounced.

  "It was good of you," Bake noted.

  He shrugged. "The boys have to work." Buttheads.

  "Clay's a good man." Bean smiled at him, eyes shining, happy.

  "You're in love," Dev said.

  Dare snorted and nodded. "Your opinion doesn't count."

  Bean bristled next to Clay.

  Clay leaned over, kissed Bean's temple. "What Frick and Frack mean is that you're biased, babe." In love? Clay could deal with that shit.

  "Ah, I see. Of course, I've only been biased for a short while. Frick and Frack have had an entire lifetime to build biases."

  Bake chuckled. "Their names are Dev and Dare."

  "I thought their names were Devin and Darius." Bean sassed Bake right back.

  "I like Tweedledee and Tweedledum, personally." One of the boys flipped him off -- he wasn't sure which one, not really.

  "Which one's dee and which one's dum?" Bean asked.

  This time it was Bake who flipped his brother off. Then they all cracked up, the whole house ringing with laughter. That was better. They were all family, damn it. This shouldn't be weird.

  Bean poked him. "When's the food coming, I'm starving."

  "Should be here in ten."

  Dare popped up. "We brought chips and dip, if you want them."

  "Oh, yes, please. I haven't eaten since lunch and that was a long time ago."

  Bake growled a little. "You didn't pack yourself a snack, B? You know you can't go that long without food."

  Clay smiled at Dare. "Thanks, brother." Then he turned his attention on Bean. "You got blood sugar issues, babe?"

  Bean shook his head, but Bake growled. "You do, too. He goes too long without food, he gets stupid. It's because he's so fucking thin."

  "Shut up, Bake. I'm fine."

  Clay looked at his lover. "Well, then. Snacks it is. We have a brother who's diabetic."

  Devin nodded. "And a sister -- she doesn't take shots, though."

  "I'm not diabetic," Bean protested.

  "No, you're hypo... hypa something. You need to eat regular," Bake groused at Bean.

  "Cool. Me too." Clay winked. "Not that I have blood sugar things, but I do like my snacks. It's good for the metabolism, too."

  "There you go. Good for the metabolism." Bean stuck his tongue out at Bake, who just laughed.

  Darius brought in a bowl of chips and a big thing of dip and they all fell on the food, scarfing it down.

  Bean sat back and rubbed his belly when the chip bowl was empty. "Looks like I'm not the only one hunting food."

  "God, no. It's late to eat." Clay grinned. "I got that new Avatar movie. You want me to put it on?"

  "Yes!" Bean and Bake answered together.

  The doorbell rang and he tossed the movie over to Bean. "Here you go, babe. Darius, get plates?

  "Sure, Clay."

  There was a shit-load of pizzas in the delivery boy's arms, and Bake muscled up next to him. "Let me help you get that, Clay."

  "Thanks, man." He grinned. "Glad you came, buddy. Bean's been wanting to hang, and you know how it is when things are so new."

  Bake snorted. "Bean's been busy with you, but I appreciate the invite tonight."

  "Yeah, like the Wonder Twins aren't keeping you hopping." He knew better; those two were trouble.

  "They've been awesome." Bake grabbed the pizzas, carrying them into the living room, where Bean had the movie cued up.

  "I'm glad. Devin looks amazing." He grinned at his brothers, who were curled up on the floor, chatting with Bean.

  "They both need some TLC, some time to be taken care of." Bake grinned wolfishly. "And I'm just the man for the job."

  "Good deal." They plunked the pizzas down and the twins passed out paper plates.

  They were soon settled, Bean tucked in next to him, eating pizza and watching the movie. It was easy, relaxing, all of them jabbering, oohing and aahing, just goofing off. Best of all, Dare brought in a cheesecake they'd brought over to finish things off. Bean fed him forkfuls, offering them one at a time with smiles and giggles.

  Dare and Devin were curled next to Bake, both sound asleep, leaning into each other. Bake's fingers trailed over their shoulders, giving attention equally without really seeming to realize it. It made Clay tickled, to know the boys were with a good man, where they wanted to be.

  Bean's hand snuck across his belly, rubbing his abs. He hummed and leaned, dragging the covers over them. Bean cuddled in close, hand moving to rest on his thigh.

  His eyes met Bake's and he winked, happy as a man could be with clothes on. Bake chuckled and winked back and went back to watching the movie.

  Yep, they were all set.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Devin leaned against the doorframe, breathing hard, queasy and shaking. God, he felt like shit. God knew what he had caught, but he thought it might kill him. He'd made it home in a taxi, but he couldn't quite make it inside. Not yet.

  Bake's truck rumbled up into the driveway, the man jumping out. "Dev? Is that you, sweet boy?"

  "Uh-huh." He nodded, swallowed hard.

  "What're you do-- Dev!
What's wrong?" Bake's arm went around his shoulders, tugging him into the hot, strong body.

  "Don't feel so good."

  "No, I can see that. Come on, let's get you into bed, yeah?"

  Bake took a few steps, and when he had trouble keeping up, Bake picked him right up and carried him down the hall. He curled in, Bake's heat perfect, strength solid.

  Bake frowned down at him. "Damn it, Dev, you're really sick. You need the hospital?"

  "No. No, I want Dare."

  "He's not home from work yet, boy. You know he works 'til six most days."

  "I want Dare." He needed his twin.

  "He'll be home soon." Bake put him in the bed, started stripping him down. He groaned, arm thrown over his eyes. He was sweaty, uncomfortable. Bake got him down to skin, wiping away the sweat with his T-shirt. "How about a shower, huh?"

  "Uh-huh." He started shuddering, shaking.

  Bake picked him up again, headed for the bathroom. "If this doesn't work, I'm taking you to the hospital."

  "No hospitals." No. He didn't have the money.

  "We'll see. You get better and it won't be an issue."

  He nodded, eyes closing as he held on. "When's Dare coming home?"

  "In an hour, boy. In the meantime you have me." Bake turned the shower on and put him in it.

  "You feel good. I'm glad you're here. I just... I want you both."

  "Of course you do. And your twin'll be here soon."

  "Okay. I'd been feeling so good..."

  "I know. What happened?" Bake stripped off and joined him and they let the water run over them.

  "I went to work. I had lunch. I came home. Just like yesterday."

  "You were fine yesterday."

  "Uh-huh." Maybe he was just lazy.

  "And you were really good the days before that. Your days off." Bake frowned, hands moving over him.

  "Uh-huh." He shivered, head just pounding.

  Bake made the water hotter. The water felt good, Bake felt good, and all the stress seemed to ease back a little bit.

  "Maybe you're allergic to work." Bake soaped him up, rinsed him off.

  "I'm not lazy!"

  Bake chuckled. "Just teasing, sweet boy."

  "I know, but I'm not. I'm not lazy!" He was just tired, and Mike, the manager, was being so patient with him.

  "I know that." Bake stroked him. "You know, though, maybe something at work is affecting you."

  "The flowers? You're around plants all day."

  "Yeah, we both are. You've got exotic stuff at the flower shop, though, don't you? Maybe one of them is affecting you. I mean, you were fine on your days off. In fact you got better and better every day."

  He shook his head. That didn't make sense, did it? "Doesn't make sense."

  "Why not? You were fine after a few days off and then you went to work and now you look like death warmed over."

  He rested his head on Bake's shoulder, cried.

  "Sweet boy, don't cry." Bake held him and stroked him. "We're going to get to the bottom of this, I promise."

  "Swear? For real?" He held on tight.

  "For real, Dev. Your health is very important."

  "You believe me?" No one but Dare ever believed in him. Dare did, though. Dare cared.

  "Of course I believe you -- I have eyes, I can see you're sick."

  He nodded, leaned hard. "Can we go snuggle?"

  "Dev? Devvy? You didn't answer your phone. I was worried and I sped home. I..." Dare's face appeared in the bathtub, pale and worried. "You are sick. I knew it."

  Bake nodded. "He is. It's where he works. It's making him sick." Bake turned off the water.

  "The florist's shop?" Dare's eyes narrowed. "It's that creepy bastard. He's doing something to you."

  "He is not. You're unnaturally suspicious of him." Dare always had been.

  Bake began to dry him off. "Creepy bastard? What are you talking about, Dare?"

  "I don't like that mean fucker Dev works for. I never have."

  Devin rolled his eyes. "Only because he can't tell us apart."

  "I'm the only one who can, and Dare doesn't hate everyone. There's got to be a reason."

  "Dare's just being silly about it."

  Dare shook his head. "I don't think so. Do you want soup? I can make soup?"

  "I want to hear more about this creepy bastard you think is making Dev sick!" Bake said before he could answer.

  "I want soup!" Dev shook his head at Dare. Dare was weird about Mike. He always had been.

  "You can talk and make soup at the same time, right?" Bake wrapped the towel around his waist and then put one arm around him and one around Dare, leading them out of the bathroom.

  Dare headed into the kitchen and Dev tried to change the subject. "How was your day, Dare?"

  "Okay. Just a long day. You know." Darius pulled out chicken, carrots, celery.

  "Tell me about this creepy bastard, damn it." Bake was like a dog with a bone.

  "I don't like how he looks at Dev, or me, when he thinks I'm Dev. Like he's... hungry."

  "I think it's about time that I picked Dev up, then. Let people see this is my sweet boy." Bake kissed him. "You think he'd hurt Dev?"

  "I think it wouldn't surprise me."

  Devin glared. "Stop it, Dare. You're jealous and you don't like him, but it's my job!"

  "Relax, sweet boy. He's just worried about you, and you can't deny that something at work is making you sick."

  "But... It's my job. He just is weird."

  "Sure, it's your job, but if you're allergic to one of the fertilizers or something, then you have to find a new job."

  He shook his head. "Then I'd be allergic to you, you work with that even more than I do."

  "Something in the building? Some exotic flower?"

  "I don't know! Do we have to talk about it?"

  Dare sighed. "You could just quit. I'll take more hours."

  Bake shook his head. "That's not fair, either, but we can look for another job for Dev so he can quit."

  "I like my job." Kind of.

  "Then we need to find out what it is that's making you sick!" Definitely a dog with a bone.

  Dev dropped his head in his hands. "I'm tired."

  "I know, boy. I'm going to take you to bed until Dare's soup is ready."

  "Okay." He lifted up his arms, begging for Bake.

  Bake picked him up and carried him off down the hall. "I've got you, boy."

  "Thank you. My head hurts."

  "It'll be nice and quiet and gentle in the bedroom."

  "Promise?"

  "I promise, sweet boy. You just need someone to take care of you."

  He wrapped his arms around Bake's neck, close to tears, so exhausted. Bake laid him down on the bed and came down with him, the big body warm and sheltering him. Bake felt good, smelled good, and he found himself dozing.

  Soft kisses woke him up, the smell of chicken soup strong on the air. "Dare brought you soup, sweet boy."

  "I put an apple crisp in the oven, too."

  He grinned at Dare, touched his twin's wrist. "Thanks."

  "You're welcome. I'm going to shower and stuff."

  Bake pulled Dare down and gave him a hard, thorough kiss. "Good job, Dare. Don't be too long -- we could share crisp and ice cream together when Dev's finished his soup."

  "You need supper, too." Dare caressed Bake's cheek. "You want a sandwich and soup, Sir?"

  Bake nuzzled Dare's hand. "I'll be good with just the soup. It smells amazing."

  "Okay, I'll grab you a bowl."

  "Thanks, boy." Bake rubbed Dare's ass.

  Devvy sat up, digging into the soup with a soft moan. Dare's soup was magical. Magical.

  Bake grinned at him. "Now I can't wait for my own."

  "It's great. Spicy, warm -- perfect."